Category: Freezer Friendly

2 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

2-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

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2 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

It’s hard to believe just two simple ingredients are all it takes to create this delicious snack bar. Now, I’ve seen a lot of “2-ingredient” recipes on Pinterest, but most of them involve a boxed cake mix or a can of refrigerated dough or some other processed food item. I realize those recipes are more about convenience than anything else, but it seems a little misleading to say something has two ingredients when, in reality, that number is closer to 10 or 20.

These peanut butter cookie bars truly do have just two wholesome ingredients: dates and peanuts. Add them to a food processor or high-powered blender and pulse until the dates are broken down and there are just small chunks of peanuts. The mixture can’t be too crumbly because it needs to stick together when pressed into a pan, but you don’t want to process it so much that it turns into peanut butter.

If you’ve ever eaten a Larabar, you’ll notice these are very similar, although I think the homemade ones are much tastier. I used an 9×5 loaf pan, which yields five full-size bars. A larger pan will result in thinner bars that are more likely to fall apart.

 

Yield: 5 bars

2-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup dates, pitted
  • 1 cup peanuts, dry-roasted

Instructions

  1. Combine dates and peanuts in a food processor or high-powered blender. Pulse until mixture sticks together and small chunks of peanuts remain.
  2. Press mixture into a 9x5 loaf pan, using a piece of wax paper or a spatula to smooth out the top.
  3. Refrigerate for about an hour or until set.
  4. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

These bars freeze well, so you may want to double the recipe and save some for later!

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https://danielfastfoodie.com/2-ingredient-peanut-butter-cookie-bars

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Sunday Sauce

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You probably wouldn’t guess I’m Italian by looking at me. The blond hair, blue eyes and fair skin come from my German side. The truth is I’m only a quarter paesana, but my maiden name is Musacchio, and my Italian heritage is what was emphasized throughout my childhood.

The most influential element of that heritage was the food. This goes without saying, but Italians know how to cook. If we were visiting relatives on a Sunday, it was likely they’d be serving pasta—usually spaghetti or cavatelli (say: kuh-vah-dells)—with homemade sauce.

Unfortunately, my family’s sauce is not Daniel Fast approved. For starters, it’s flavored with meat (sausage, meatballs or both), and there’s always a little sugar, which is added to cut the acidity. I wondered how I might make a no-sugar-added marinara that wasn’t sour, so I took to the internet. One popular suggestion was to add a grated carrot, but that just didn’t seem authentic. Baking soda was another idea, but that’s not allowed during the Fast, either. Then I found this article, which outlines two keys to a perfectly balanced red sauce:

1. High quality tomatoes, specifically the San Marzano variety
2. Low and slow cooking: Four hours are needed for tomatoes to break down and release their natural sugars.

I thought this would be the perfect job for my Crock-Pot, so I adapted one of my favorite recipes and let it simmer for five hours. The result was a wonderfully mild sauce with no bitterness.

If you like a chunky sauce, you can simply use a spoon to break up the bigger pieces of tomato. I prefer a smooth sauce, so I dump the whole pot into my Vitamix. You could also use an immersion blender or food processor.

Serve over your favorite whole grain pasta and mangia!

 

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce (No Sugar Added!)

Adapted from Allrecipes

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Ingredients

  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cans (28 oz each) whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  1. Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute more.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
  3. For a chunky sauce, break up tomatoes with a spoon. For a smooth sauce, use a blender or food processor.
  4. Serve with whole grain pasta.
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https://danielfastfoodie.com/sunday-sauce

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Coconut Mango Quinoa

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This hearty breakfast combines protein-packed quinoa with the tropical flavors of coconut and mango. It’s super creamy and delicious.

Be sure to use regular canned coconut milk — not the light stuff. Don’t worry about fat content because coconuts contain a beneficial fat called lauric acid, which is easily absorbed by the body and immediately converted into energy.

 

Coconut Mango Quinoa
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Ingredients

  • 1 can (12 oz.) coconut milk
  • 3/4 cup almond milk
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 cup mango, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons date caramel

Instructions

  1. Combine coconut milk and almond milk in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add quinoa and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 12 minutes or until grains have absorbed most of the liquid, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add mango and date caramel, and cook on on low for another 5 minutes.

Notes

Leftovers can be frozen for a quick breakfast another day. I use a Texas size muffin pan for perfect individual portions. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.

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https://danielfastfoodie.com/coconut-mango-quinoa

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Slow Cooker Refried Beans

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Refried beans are a versatile dish that can be served as a side, in burritos, tostadas, or even as a dip. This recipe requires just a few minutes of prep time, and the result is a tasty addition to any Mexican-themed meal.

When eliminating meat and dairy from your diet, it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough protein from other sources. A 1/2 cup serving of beans provides 8 grams of protein. Beans are heart-healthy and can help lower cholesterol, too.

There’s no need to soak your dried beans before cooking them in the slow cooker. Just rinse them off and throw them into the crock with the rest of the ingredients. It’s that simple!

This makes a fairly large batch, but you can freeze the leftovers. I like to portion the beans into a muffin tin so I can pull out individual servings as needed.

 

Slow Cooker Refried Beans
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups (about 1 pound) dry pinto beans, rinsed
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 cups water

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients in a slow cooker and cover with water. Cook on high for 8 hours or overnight.
  2. Drain excess liquid and reserve. Mash beans with a potato masher or an immersion blender. Add some of the liquid back in until desired consistency is achieved. (Beans will thicken as they cool, so you may want to thin them out a bit more to start.)

Notes

Freeze leftovers in a muffin tin and transfer to a freezer bag for storage.

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https://danielfastfoodie.com/slow-cooker-refried-beans

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