(no bake) peanut butter + cacao nib cereal bars (gf + v) / March 15, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

(no bake) peanut butter + cacao nib cereal bars | dolly and oatmeal #glutenfree #vegan

i'm pretty sure i've spoken about my affinity for peanut butter, but when i looked in my blog archive and found only a single recipe highlighting one of my favorite things to enjoy, i knew i needed to fix that! my fondness for peanut butter is somewhat well-known to those who are around me often, i've even received a jar of peanut butter and a copy of E.T. as a birthday present one year because my friend knew how much i loved those 2 together. and when i'm hungry for a quick snack i'll grab a spoonful of peanut butter. then there are the days when i'm super lazy and needing that nut buttery fix and an apple and peanut butter is my lunch, or even my dinner. so when i saw these cereal bars on pinterest a few weeks ago, i had the biggest Oprah, aha (!!!) moment. i could combine my fave cereal and my fave nut butter to make the bars of my dreams!

these bars are the simplest and most rewarding snacks that come together and can be enjoyed in about 30 minutes (freezing the bars makes the set faster, which i'm a huge fan of!). there's no baking, or setting, and they're kind of on the healthy side. i used puffed varieties of brown rice and millet, which happen to be gluten free whole grains, plus, they have a super crunchy texture which gives them a rice crispy treat quality. there's also cacao nibs for crunch and some chocolate undertones, and chopped peanuts because that peanut flavor is so necessary ;) they're easy to store, portable, and somewhat filling - all wins in my book! i hope you enjoy them as much as i do :)

xo!

peanut butter + cacao nib cereal bars | v + gf

as i said above, i love peanut butter and really wanted a peanut buttery snack. but feel free to incorporate your preferred choice of nut butter and nuts here. you could also use another crunchy cereal of choice, or replace the brown rice syrup with honey. and if you're wanting more chocolatey flavor replace the cacao nibs with chocolate chips, or melt chocolate and drizzle on top of the bars.

| makes 16 square bars |

coconut oil, for the pan
1 1/2 cups puffed brown rice
1 1/2 cups puffed millet
3/4 cup unsalted roughly chopped roasted peanuts
1/2 cup cacao nibs
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1/2 cup unsalted peanut butter

method

lightly grease an 8x8-inch square pan with coconut oil. line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper and set aside.
in a large bowl, mix together the brown rice puffs, millet puffs, chopped peanuts, cacao nibs, and salt.
in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat, use a rubber spatula to combine the brown rice syrup and peanut butter. heat and stir the mixture until it's fluid and smooth, about 5 minutes. pour the syrup and peanut butter mixture over the puffed cereal mix and use the spatula to combine. mix for a few minutes, until each piece of the mixture is evenly coated.
transfer the mixture to your prepared pan and use the back of the spatula (or, if the mixture isn't too hot, use your fingers) to press the bards firmly and evenly into the pan.
let the bars sit at room temperature for 1 hour, or freeze for 20 minutes until firm. slice the bars into 16 squares with a sharp knife. bars can be kept in an air tight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.

similar recipes:

ginger + lemon zest granola w/ puffed quinoa

crunchy crusted sweet potato lunch bowl w/ golden dressing / March 2, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

crunchy crusted sweet potato lunch bowl w/ golden dressing | dolly and oatmeal

lunch is the one meal that always stumps me. before i started freelancing full-time i would religiously prepare my meals the night before, and sometimes, if i was thinking clear enough, i would do the sunday prep thing. when i was teaching and attending grad school, i had zero time to contemplate what i wanted, or what i was in the mood for. i didn't consider food as anything less than brain fuel. but now, given that i generally work from my home, i have more options, a fridge that's usually stocked, and a flexible lunch "hour" that allows me to have more options. so naturally, one would think that my lunch habit would benefit from a more fluid schedule. but it's actually the opposite. i find that preparing myself anything more than a piece of toast piled with green stuff, a bowl of leftover soup, or an apple with peanut butter a bit too overwhelming. i long for those beautiful lunches i see on instagram, or the perfectly constructed salads i'll have when i'm eating out. so with the weather inching towards warmer days, and the afternoon light shining a bit longer i'm fully invested in making some changes.

i've been breading everything i can with pulverized oats. i usually season them with some garlic and onion powder, dried parsley and oregano; and salt and pepper. to my surprise they crisp up really well without charring or burning too quickly, and they stay super crunchy - mega plus! this lunch bowl came together like most lunch bowls come together - with some assistance from leftovers. rice and/or grains, leftover veg from a dish i had prepared (this time carrots and half a cabbage), salad greens, and some jazzed up, crunchy-coated sweet potatoes. plus, a golden, sunshine-y turmeric dressing. and always, always a good dose of california olive ranch olive oil for the roasting, topping, coating; and for all the sauces and dressings! before anything in my kitchen gets roasted or cooked, california olive ranch olive oil is liberally applied. not only does the flavor stand up and shine through, but it's the people behind the product (that i was fortunate enough to meet) that honor the process and work that goes into producing a responsive and conscious product for us all to enjoy.

eat that rainbow, xo!

*this post was created in partnership with california olive ranch. thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep dolly and oatmeal going!

crunchy crusted sweet potato lunch bowl w/ golden dressing | v + gf

this lunch bowl can be prepared with whatever vegetables you have on hand , really. i would love to see how some breaded cauliflower tastes here, or in the summer, maybe eggplant. i'm finding that the options are quite endless. the golden dressing makes extra for the week, and the leftovers. if left in the refrigerator, you may need to add a few teaspoons of water to get the consistency more fluid.

| makes 2-4 servings depending on appetite |

golden dressing

1/4 cup California Olive Ranch olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons sunflower butter (almond butter or tahini can be used as well)
2 tablespoons water, more to thin
1 tablespoon white mellow miso
2 teaspoons fresh turmeric (or 1/2 teaspoon dried ground)
1 teaspoon maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
1 clove garlic
fresh pepper

lunch bowl

2 sweet potatoes, scrubbed, dried, and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons California Olive Ranch olive oil
2/3 cup pulverized rolled oats (or gluten free bread crumbs)
salt + fresh pepper
2 cups cooked wild rice
3-4 cups fresh arugula
2 carrots, grated on a cheese grater
half a small head of cabbage, grated on a cheese grater
sprouts or microgreens, to serve

method

for the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor, scraping down the sides every so often. thin with more water until dressing is smooth and fluid. taste and adjust, adding more miso if need be. set the dressing aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
for the lunch bowl. preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
in a large bowl, toss together the potatoes with the oil, season with salt and pepper. add the pulverized oats (or bread crumbs) to a large plastic bag. a few at a time, add the potatoes, shake the bag to cover and bread the potatoes, then place them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. repeat with remaining potatoes. bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring and rotating halfway through until the edges of the potatoes are crisp and browned.
portion the potatoes, rice, arugula, and the carrot and cabbage in a bowl. drizzle with the golden dressing and top with sprouts or microgreens.

enjoy!