The pacific northwest in autumn is my favorite place to be. All the trees are changing colors, the heirloom apple varieties are in flush with every kind of golden freckle and ruby blush, and there’s hazelnuts aplenty. There’s little to complain about here—I guess you could mope about the rain, but honestly after the long hot summer we had, the rain feels like a breath of fresh air. Plus there’s nothing that makes you feel cozier than snuggling up inside with the sound of the rain drizzling against the window pane, with a warm apple pie on your kitchen counter.

This past year has gone by so quickly and I’ve been going nonstop for most of it, so I’m really enjoying the chance to turn inwards, nest, and hibernate that the cold weather months offer. It really is the time of year to reflect on what we’re doing, what we want, and to try to take care of ourselves and those closest to us. It’s time to go back to the comfort of routines and regularity, and the friendly warmth of the familiar. After all the trips and planes and train rides this year, I’m so relieved that I get to be grounded for a few months and stay home with my family and friends (and sleep in my very own bed). And since the weather is cold and wet, I don’t feel guilty about staying cozy inside all day, either.

When I was a kid, I was still short then as I am today, and so my pants were always a little long. Since it rains all autumn, the bottom half of my pant legs would always be soaked by the time I walked from the bus top to my house, because they always dragged on the ground a little. I’d change into a fresh pair of pants, hang the wet pair by the fireplace where my mom had made a roaring fire, and grab an apple to snack on. It was my little cold-weather routine, and when Jeremy started up the first fire in our fireplace this season yesterday, it reminded me of it.

With the comfort of home in mind, I decided to make what I think is the most comforting autumn sweet of them all, a simple apple pie. I wanted to use some of the delicious local Oregon hazelnuts in it, too, so I ground some up in the blender and incorporated them into the crust for an extra-nutty kick. Fresh local ingredients make for the best food, and this apple pie was no exception. The apple filling cooked into soft, spiced perfection, and the hazelnut crust turned golden, toasty, and aromatic, and together they made the perfect cozy marriage of my favorite parts of fall, and filled my house with the best possible smell. A wonderful welcome home, indeed. So here’s to routines (the old and the new), and the comfort of home. I hope you enjoy these months of nesting as much as I do, and that this pie helps you soak up some more flavor of the season!

I’m going to revisit one of my favorite cookie recipes today. Made using 100% whole wheat flour and hand-chopped chocolate chips, this is a skillet-baked twist on Kim Boyce’s celebrated chocolate chip cookies. It’s also a fantastic recipe to make with kids. We had a house guest this weekend, and this was the recipe he wanted to make. Instead of shaping individual cookies, you spread cookie dough across an oven-proof pan or skillet, and bake it. You can cut the finished cookies into wedges or squares, or whatever shape you like.

Variations

You can also bake individual versions in tiny skillets or these tiny cast-iron Staubs. Served warm with a little dollop of vanilla ice cream – you get the idea. They’re fun, fast, and couldn’t be simpler. You can see how it all comes together, and meet my favorite kitchen helper, in the video below 😉 Enjoy!

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Continue reading Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie on 101 Cookbooks

Today is the most fall day of all fall days. The fall colors are at their peak here in Nashville, the air smells like wet leaves, it’s a little overcast and spooky looking, and it’s HALLOWEEN! So of course I had to go all in and make this Chipotle Pumpkin Pasta. This pasta is a little smoky, a little spicy, a little creamy, and lots of delicious. This easy tomato-free pasta sauce is a great way to shake up your pasta routine!

Chipotle Pumpkin Pasta

Make it a Meal

This recipe makes four small-ish servings, so I’d probably serve this with a big green side salad to make it a meal. If you need a little meat to make your meal feel complete, I think some browned Italian sausage or chorizo would be awesome in this pasta. You can brown the sausage in the skillet with the onion and garlic, then continue with the recipe as usual.

Step by Step Photos

Dice on yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Sauté both in a skillet with 1 Tbsp olive oil, over medium heat, until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add 1/2 tsp chipotle powder and sauté for just a minute more…

Add one 15oz. can of pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling, which is sweated and spiced). 

Add 1.5 cups chicken broth, 1/2 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper. Stir until everything is combined and the sauce is smooth. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 15 minutes. While the sauce is simmering, cook 1/2 lb. pasta according to the package directions, then drain it in a colander.

Once the sauce has simmered down, turn the heat down to low, add 1/4 cup heavy cream, and stir to combine.

Add the cooked and drained pasta back to the sauce and stir to combine. Let the pasta heat in the sauce for 2-3 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan…

Stir the Parmesan into the Chipotle Pumpkin Pasta, top with a little more cracked pepper, and serve!

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Happy Hump Day, you crazy baking fools. I hope you’re crushing this week, so much so that you’ve earned yourself a slice (or three) of this brown sugar apple bundt cake.

If you follow me on Instagram, you may know that last week I made a wedding cake. It wasn’t my first time preparing a wedding cake, but because this was the biggest one I’ve made to date I was also pretty nervous. Like any cautious amateur would do, I prepared the layers a week in advance, froze them in plastic wrap, and traveled with the unassembled cakes in a sub-zero temperature car to Atlanta where the wedding was being held. 

Some of you are probably thinking that this is not a big deal. Maybe you think that I do this all the time or that I’m a professional cake maker. Maybe you assume that tasks like this come naturally to me or are not even remotely intimidating. I’ll have you know, you are entirely wrong.

I am a giant, sugar-coated ball of anxiety when it comes to baking for weddings. I literally lose sleep over the details and what-ifs and tiny lists of ingredients and supplies that I need to remember to pack. What if the cake is dry? Collapses? Tastes like garbage? What if I drop the entire thing while placing it on the stand? What if someone finds a weird hair or a giant eggshell in it? What if, what if, what if?

I’m getting stressed just reliving it. This all goes to say that until further notice I’m sticking with one-bowl, single layer, easy peasy cakes like this brown sugar apple bundt cake. Aside from the risk of a stray hair or eggshell, there are very few things you could actually do to screw this up.

I was inspired to make this brown sugar apple bundt cake from flipping through some of Brett’s Nana’s old recipes. There were multiple recipes for old fashioned apple bundt cakes, and I knew this was the type of thing you guys would want coming out of your ovens around the holidays. In most of the older recipes I’ve seen, the bundt cake is baked and a warm, syrupy mixture is poured over the cake before removing it from the pan. This yields a super moist cake, but to be honest, it’s not the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen. To add extra flavor AND pizzazz, I went with a brown sugar glaze, thick, ultra-sweet, and with just a hint of bourbon because we love ourselves. This brown sugar apple bundt cake is faithful to its Southern roots and festive enough to add to any holiday table. Let’s chat the ins and outs on this treat.

We start by mixing the sugar with all of the wet ingredients. Oil and plenty of eggs keep this cake moist. The dry ingredients which includes cinnamon and apple pie spice get stirred in before finely diced apples and pecans are folded in. Spread the mixture into a bundt pan (I used this one!) and bake in the preheated oven. Be careful not to overbake it! I like to remove it from the oven when just a few large moist clumps remain on a cake tester or toothpick.Allow the cake to cool in the pan for a few minutes before cooling completely on a rack. When it’s room temperature, prepare the glaze and spoon it on top. I test out the glaze on the side of a drinking glass to make sure that it’s the right consistency before it goes on the cake. If it’s too thin it will drip completely off the cake and if it’s too thick it won’t be pourable. Find the consistency that works best for you and pour away.

This brown sugar apple bundt cake is a delightful little autumnal treat to prepare in the coming months. Give it a try and let me know what you think! I promise it’s easier than a wedding cake. 

If you like this brown sugar apple bundt cake you should try:

Maple Apple Cake

Pecan Apple Dutch Baby

Caramel Apple Pie

Apple Crumb Cake

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Carrot Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Glaze

Brown Sugar Apple Bundt Cake

This brown sugar apple bundt cake is a warmly spiced season favorite with a brown sugar glaze that you’ll love sharing these winter months!

• Author: Kate Wood
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 90
• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: 10
• Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the apple cake:

• 1-3/4 (350 gm) cups sugar
• 1-1/2 cups (360 gm) vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, at room temp
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups (420 gm) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 2 cups (250 gm) of peeled, finely chopped apples (I use Jonathan or Granny Smith Apples)
• 1 cup (125 gm) finely chopped pecans

For the brown sugar glaze (Adapted from Fine Cooking):

• 3/4 cup (150 gm) light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (110 gm) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1-1/2 tablespoons bourbon
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup (80 gm) heavy whipping cream
• 1-1/4 cups (130 gm) sifted confectioner’s sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To prepare the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and combined. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and apple pie spice and stir just until barely combined. Fold in the apples and pecans. Spray and flour a 10-cup bundt pan and spread the batter into the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be careful to not overbake the cake! Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes and then invert onto a cool rack to cool completely.

To prepare the brown sugar glaze:

1. Combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, bourbon, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, allowing the mixture to melt. Add the cream, increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to boil, stirring occasionally. Boil the mixture for exactly one minute and remove it from heat. Whisk in the confections sugar and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain. Allow the glaze to cool and thicken slightly, stirring occasionally to keep it from forming a thick top shell. Once the mixture is a bit thicker but still warm to touch, pour over the finished cake. You can test the pour barely on one size to see if it glazes how you’d like. If it doesn’t glaze thin enough allow it to cool slightly and if it glazes too thick just warm it up slightly. The cake is best enjoyed the day it is made.

There is a special kale salad in the in the new Food52 Genius Recipes cookbook. A single kale salad that ran the gauntlet, beating out all others, for a slice of limelight in the book. Which is saying something. There is no shortage of kale salad inspiration out there, and I knew this one must be pretty special to make the cut.

The whole premise related to the genius recipe series is highlighting recipes that aren’t just great – they need to be more than that. They need to change, or surprise, or shift the way you think about a recipe – or cooking in general. Kristen Miglore selected 100 recipes for the book, and this was the kale salad – special it is! The details! It is from Northern Spy Food Co. Shredded kale is tossed with olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice, and accented with rough-cut almonds, roasted squash (or, this time of year, asparagus), strong chunks of good cheddar cheese, and whispy shavings of Pecorino. I made it with the last delicata squash in my arsenal, and a second time with roasted asparagus. It’s kale salad well punctuated. Meaning, there you are enjoying a fork full of lacinato kale, and along comes an exclamation of cheddar, or all-caps CRUNCH of almond. It’s really nice, and to my palette it’s the well-accented simplicity that makes this version stand out.

Technique

If you give it a go, I’ll encourage deliberate chopping and slicing. Thoughtful, intentional prep is one of the things that takes this salad from good to great. You want the kale stemmed, and sliced into ribbons not too thick, not too thin. Good cheddar is assertive, so you want crumbles that function as good accents on the fork – too big is overwhelming, but you also don’t want to go too small. The book has beautiful photography accompanying each recipe by James Ransom, and they are illustrative as well as enticing. Meaning, you’re able to see the intended result, and can take cues from not only the recipes, but the visuals as well.

You can prep this a day or two ahead of time. I might wait until you’re relatively close to eating to toss it with the lemon juice and olive oil, but aside from that it’s incredibly simple. And I recommend doing a double recipe while you’re at it. The leftovers were brilliant, wilted for a flash in a hot pan, and then tossed with fresh pasta for a quick one-pan dinner.

Continue reading Genius Kale Salad on 101 Cookbooks

Simple to make and perfect to serve for the holidays! Honey orange glazed carrots are bursting with fresh citrus flavor.

Honey Orange Glazed Carrots

Hi everyone! Chelsea back from Chelsea’s Messy Apron to bring you a MUST have holiday side dish: honey orange glazed carrots! These delicious carrots need to make an appearance at your table this Thanksgiving and/or Christmas! They’re loaded with flavor, simple to make, and they’re good for you!

How to make Honey Orange Glazed Carrots:

1. You’ll start by roasting the carrots (more on that in the section below).
2. While the carrots are roasting, you can prepare the dressing: in a mason jar combine the orange juice, champagne vinegar, honey, shallot, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place on the lid and shake to combine.
3. Make sure to give the dressing a quick taste and adjust any seasonings to personal preference!
4. Pour over the warm carrots and enjoy!!

Can these honey orange glazed carrots be made in advance?

These are best served fresh and warm, and I do not recommend making these in advance.

You can prepare the carrots up to a day in advance by washing, trimming and cutting them ahead of time. If you elect to do this, make sure to store the uncooked carrots in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also prepare the glaze/dressing in advance. Store in a mason jar in the fridge.

How do you roast carrots in the oven?

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Slice the carrots on the diagonal about 1-½” thick. Make sure all pieces are approximately the same size to ensure they cook evenly.
3. Combine the carrots, oil, and seasonings in a large bowl and toss well. Transfer the carrots to the prepared baking sheet and roast, stirring once mid-way through, until tender.
4. Cook time is about 20-25 minutes (depending on thickness of carrots).

More Holiday Side Dishes to Serve Alongside These Carrots:

• Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Vegetables
• Frog Eye Salad
• Thanksgiving Dressing
• Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Honey Orange Glazed Carrots

 

Print

Simple to make and perfect to serve for the holidays! Honey orange glazed carrots are bursting with fresh citrus flavor!

Author: Chelsea from Chelsea's Messy Apron

Serves: 6 as a side

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh carrots, peeled
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Honey Orange Glaze

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ tablespoon minced shallots
• ½ cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Slice the carrots on the diagonal about 1-½ inch thick. Make sure all pieces are approximately the same size to make sure they cook evenly.
3. Combine the carrots, olive oil, salt, pepper in a large bowl and toss well. Transfer the carrots to the prepared baking sheet and roast, stirring once halfway through, until tender. This takes about 20-25 minutes (cooking time will depend on thickness of carrots).
4. Meanwhile prepare the dressing: in a mason jar combine the orange juice, champagne vinegar, honey, shallot, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place on the lid and shake to combine.
5. Pour over warm carrots and enjoy immediately.

These healthy pumpkin recipes are total crowd pleasers: from dessert recipes like oatmeal cookies to main dishes like pumpkin gnocchi and stuffed shells!

Are you a pumpkin fan? Even if your answer is no, you might enjoy some of these healthy pumpkin recipes! Because pumpkin puree is doesn’t have a distinct flavor, it can be used in many different ways without tasting overly pumpkin-y. It makes a fantastic substitute for egg in our vegan pumpkin oatmeal cookies, and a creamy, cheesy pasta sauce in our pumpkin penne. Of course, we’ve also got pumpkin dessert recipes: but not the traditional pumpkin pie! Try our healthy pumpkin parfaits with pecan granola or pumpkin mousse shooters. In all cases, healthy means made with real, whole food ingredients that are full of nutrients.

Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Let’s start with these chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookies,  one of our most popular pumpkin dessert recipes! The flavor is reminiscent of oatmeal cream pies, but a healthier spin. Though they might not qualify as a health food, they can fit into the healthy definition since they’re made with nutrient dense rolled oats and are plant based. Made with coconut oil instead of butter, they’re topped with a powdered sugar icing. Omit the icing if you’d prefer less sugar, and they’re just as good!

Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake with Goat Cheese

Here’s our personal favorite of these pumpkin recipes: our pumpkin gnocchi bake! It’s got a savory pumpkin sauce made creamy with a little Greek yogurt. Doughy gnocchi pillows are baked in the sauce along with gooey goat cheese. It’s probably one of the coziest comfort foods we’ve baked up, and it consistently gets rave reviews! Last year we served this as a vegetarian Thanksgiving recipe and it very quickly disappeared.

Pumpkin Yogurt Fruit Dip

This one’s the simplest of the pumpkin recipes in this list: in just 5 minutes, you can make a killer fruit dip that’s pumpkin spiced! Just stir together Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and some pumpkin spices, and you’re in business! Served with sliced green apples, it’s a tangy and delicious snack. We’ve served it at fall parties and book clubs and it’s the perfect fall treat.

Penne with Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

So remember that pumpkin gnocchi bake? This pasta uses the same pumpkin sauce, but this time pairs it with penne pasta and Parmesan cheese. It cooks up in just 30 minutes and tastes like a sophisticated take on mac and cheese. Said one reader: “You NAILED IT! The whole family loved this pasta dish. So creamy and flavorful!” That’s what we like to hear.

Pumpkin Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal

This one is our most popular of these healthy pumpkin recipes: pumpkin baked steel cut oatmeal! It tastes like pumpkin pie—really!—but is made of steel cut oats. Who doesn’t want to eat pumpkin pie for breakfast? It’s also fairly healthy, with a minimal amount of maple syrup as a natural sweetener, it’s a nice gluten-free whole grain option for mornings.

Pumpkin Vegetarian Stuffed Shells

Vegetarian stuffed shells are always a crowd pleaser: especially when they’ve got pumpkin inside! This pumpkin recipe has pumpkin puree mixed with ricotta and fresh sage as the filling for these jumbo shells. Bake them, topped with gooey cheese, in a quick marinara sauce and you’re in business.

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze

These vibrant pumpkin scones are made with pumpkin puree and pumpkin spices, making them the perfect flaky, cozy biscuit for cool mornings or tea times! The topping is a maple cream, maple that’s heated until it becomes creamy and concentrated. You can make them without the glaze for a healthier treat, or use the glaze from the pumpkin cookies above.

Healthy Pumpkin Mousse Shooters

Instead of pumpkin pie, why not…a pumpkin shot glass dessert? This unique take on pumpkin pie makes the filling into vegan pumpkin mousse made by whipping coconut milk. And let’s just forget the crust: serving the pumpkin mousse in shot glasses topped with pumpkin seeds is cuter and easier!

Pumpkin Parfaits with Pecan Granola

In our list of pumpkin dessert recipes, this one’s a keeper! Greek yogurt that’s lightly sweetened with maple syrup is layered with a pumpkin filling made of pumpkin puree, pumpkin spices and mascarpone cheese. Add a bit of pecan skillet granola, whipped up in just 10 minutes in a skillet, and you’re in business. This one also works as a healthy breakfast or fall brunch recipe.

Easy Pumpkin Hummus

Have you tried pumpkin hummus? If you’re a pumpkin fan, this one’s worth a try. It takes just a few minutes to whip up, and adding pumpkin puree makes it extraordinarily creamy. Don’t worry, in contrast to some of the other pumpkin recipes this one’s got no pumpkin spices! It’s strictly savory: serve with pita chips for a tasty fall snack.

Pumpkin Spice Fruit and Nut Bars

Speaking of snacks, these pumpkin spice fruit and nut bars are a healthy snack fit for fall. Made of Medjool dates, cashews, and pumpkin spices, they’re full of protein and flavor. Make up a batch and keep them handy for when a craving hits.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Mascarpone

To round out our healthy pumpkin recipes are these pumpkin pancakes! When Alex and I breakfast, we like oat pancakes: they’re made almost fully of oat flour, they’re heartier and more filling than the typical pancake. These oat pancakes are made with pumpkin puree and pumpkin spices, and for a little flair: a dollop of mascarpone cheese mixed with maple syrup. You can omit the topping for a healthier take and go with just a drizzle of real maple syrup: these pumpkin pancakes can hold their own.

A Couple Cooks - Recipes for Healthy & Whole Living

Walnuts: The Varieties

Walnuts: The harvest

Buying and Storing Walnuts

How to tell if a Walnut is rancid?

Using Walnuts in Cooking

[tasty-recipe id="37305"]

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Perfect gingerbread muffins, made healthy, grain-free and vegan with bananas and chickpea flour!

10 YEARS!!! Can someone please tell me how it’s been a decade since I wrote my very first blog post? We’re celebrating today with this incredible vegan dessert and a week-long OSG Recipe App sale for charity (deets below).

When I started my blog on October 31, 2008, Eric and I were newly married and living in Toronto while I was working full-time as a researcher and wrapping up my Master’s degree. Life was pretty chaotic, and completing my degree was starting to wear me down (at one point I thought I was just going to cut my losses, throw in the towel, and move on!). This blog was the most amazing creative outlet during a time when my life was lacking the kind of creativity that I absolutely craved. It allowed me to explore a side of myself that I hadn’t since I was a kid (like my love for photography, baking, creative writing/journaling, and just being a goof). My blog’s first tagline was “Food. Fitness. Fashion. Fun.” Pretty epic, right? lol. I’m grateful to Eric for encouraging me to “find a hobby” after years of exhausting myself with school and work. He still jokes that my “hobby” turned into my career, so I need to find a new hobby now. (Fine, I’ll start my own animal farm! YOU WIN!)

I find writing therapeutic in soooo many ways. In the early days, I didn’t have more than a handful of readers, and I found it quite easy to talk about my struggles online. I was like no one is going to read this anyway! It was an online journal of sorts, and I wrote about my history with disordered eating and how I was finally getting myself on a path to recovery. I shared the challenges I faced finding a career that I was truly passionate about (and, eventually, how I relinquished my need to people-please by completely changing my career path). I had the most supportive response from those first early blog readers (as well as my friends and family), so I kept writing with my heart on my sleeve.  

After coming in the top 3 of the food blogging challenge Project Food Blog, an editor from a major publishing house emailed me saying she loved my work and was wondering if I’d like to write a cookbook. Pretty sure I fainted! It was the email that changed everything and solidified the fact that I was on the right path after doubting myself and my decision to change careers for so long.

So here we are 1 blog, 3 moves, 2 cookbooks, 2 kids, and 1 recipe app later…including countless late nights, self-doubt, and (ongoing) indecision for good measure! It sure has been a wild ride! I’m still learning and dreaming of new goals every day (all while not having the slightest clue how to get there!). Above all, I’m really proud of the fact that I’ve stayed true to myself and the values I have for this hobby-turned-business. The best part is that I’ve been lucky to meet so many of you amazing people online and in person, and I still can’t quite believe how freakin’ genuine, cool, and supportive everyone has been! It’s so crazy to think that some of my best friendships have been made through this blog. Forever grateful. Thank you from the bottom of my veggie-lovin’ heart for making this such a fun journey. And cheers to the next 10 years! Any guesses as to what adventures they’ll bring for you or me?

To celebrate OSG’s 10-year anniversary, we’re having a big OSG Recipe App sale this week with 100% of the proceeds being donated to Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada. Right now our app is just 99 cents, so if you’ve been thinking about downloading it, this week is a great time to do so and support a fantastic cause that’s near and dear to my heart! You can find our recipe app on both the iTunes and Google Play stores. Thank you so much for all of your amazing support and for helping us give back to our community.

I had so much fun celebrating Canada’s food writers at the Taste Canada Awards Gala last night! We were nominated in the Food Blogs Health and Special Diet category, and I was so honoured to take home Gold! All I could think about was how grateful I am to have this recognition, especially so close to OSG’s 10-year milestone. Plus, Adriana and Arlo have been calling all of my food “YUCKY” lately, so now I can show them the award and explain that they’ve been outvoted, lol.

Last but not least, we’re having a little party to celebrate 10 years and this new dessert is on the menu. I hope you’ll enjoy every bite as much as we have! With Halloween tomorrow, I can’t think of a better time to indulge in some creamy, dreamy, chocolaty PB goodness.

Salted Peanut Butter Crunch Torte

Vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free

While dreaming up a recipe to celebrate Oh She Glows’ 10-year anniversary, I immediately thought of one of my all-time favourite flavour combos: salted peanut butter and chocolate! Hubba hubba. This salted peanut butter torte (of pure sweet heaven) is easy to throw together and only takes a couple hours to freeze. Its creative presentation will impress the heck out of your guests, and that irresistible sweet-salty flavour and creamy, crunchy texture will blow your taste buds away! I’ve also tested this torte with 3 different fillings: peanut butter, almond butter, and a nut-free sunflower seed butter version! And guess what? They’re all so delicious we couldn’t pick a favourite! See my Tips for how to make the sunflower seed and almond butter versions.

Yield
12 small or 9 medium servings

Prep time
25 Minutes

Cook time
10 Minutes

Chill time
2 hours

Total time
35 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1/2 cup (78 g) almonds
• 1 cup (100 g) gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) smooth natural peanut butter

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) coconut oil
• 1/3 cup (80 mL) coconut cream*
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup (185 g) smooth natural peanut butter
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For topping (optional, but recommended):

• Coconut Whipped Cream**
• 1/2 cup (95 g) non-dairy chocolate chips + 1 teaspoon (5 mL) coconut oil, melted***
• 1/2 cup (80 g) chopped toasted walnuts and large-flake coconut****

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease an 8x8-inch square pan with coconut oil (including up the sides, too). Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the width of the pan with a bit of overhang so it’s easy to lift out.
2. For the crust: Add the almonds, oats, and salt to a food processor and process until the mixture resembles a coarse flour, about 30 seconds.
3. Melt the 1/4 cup coconut oil in a medium pot (you’ll be using the same medium pot for the filling) over low heat. Add the melted oil, maple syrup, and peanut butter to the processor and process until the mixture comes together in a heavy dough, 10 to 15 seconds. The dough should look like a wet cookie dough. If you find it a bit dry, add a teaspoon or two of water and process again until a wet dough forms.
4. Spoon the dough into the prepared pan and crumble it evenly all over the base. Lightly wet your fingers and press the dough into the base firmly and evenly. Level the edges with your fingertips. Poke the base with a fork about 12 times to allow air to escape while baking.
5. Bake the crust for 9 to 11 minutes, until it looks pale and a bit puffy. The crust might look underbaked when you remove it, but this is what we want to avoid drying it out.
6. Meanwhile, make the filling: In the same medium pot (no need to clean it!), melt the coconut oil and coconut cream over low heat. Now add the maple syrup, peanut butter, salt, and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
7. Spoon the filling onto the crust (there’s no need to cool the crust first) and carefully transfer the dish to a level surface in your freezer. Chill until solid, about 2 hours. If I’m not serving the torte right away, I’ll cover the pan with tinfoil after a couple hours of freezing. While it chills, prepare the Coconut Whipped Cream and gather the toppings so they’re ready to go.
8. Once frozen, remove from the freezer and let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes. Slide a knife around the edges to loosen the slab. Using the parchment paper, lift the slab out and place it on a serving platter. Slice into slices of your desired width. Now add the toppings: I add a large dollop of Coconut Whipped Cream on each and then top it with lots of drizzled melted chocolate, walnuts, and large-flake coconut. A pinch of coarse sea salt is nice too. If you have leftover melted chocolate, serve it on the side in a small dish so you can spoon some more chocolate over top while eating (trust me on this one!). Serve immediately—the combo of cold filling and warm melted chocolate is just dreamy! But the chilled leftovers (with hardened chocolate) are totally irresistible too.
9. Storage tips: The filling softens a great deal at room temperature, so it's best not to leave leftovers on the counter for longer than half an hour. Return it to the fridge or freezer for best results. Cover leftover slices and store in the fridge for up to 1 week, or you can freeze the slices for 4 to 6 weeks. I like to wrap frozen slices in tinfoil and then place them all into a freezer-safe zip bag.

Tips:

* Chill your can of full-fat coconut milk for at least 12 hours before you begin this recipe so that the cream on top is solid. After making the torte, you’ll have some leftover coconut cream in the can which can be used to make Coconut Whipped Cream for the topping!

 

** Feel free to use store-bought coconut whipped cream instead. I like “So Delicious Dairy Free CocoWhip!”

 

*** To a small pot over low heat, add the chocolate and oil. Stir until smooth and combined.

 

**** Of course you can use roasted peanuts instead. I’m not a big fan of them so I prefer to use walnuts.

 

Make it nut-free: In the crust, swap the almonds for sunflower seeds and in the filling swap the peanut butter for roasted sunflower seed butter. I like to add an extra tablespoon of maple syrup and a pinch of salt to this version—the filling tastes like salted caramel!

 

Almond butter version: Swap the peanut butter for roasted almond butter.

 

Don’t have an 8x8-inch square pan? You can make this in an 8x4-inch loaf pan or standard-size muffin tin (both greased with coconut oil).