3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

We are settling back into life after spending a week up in door county where we picked tons and tons of apples — and somehow I am still wondering why I didn’t pick more. I got like 99% Honeycrisp which are my all time favorite and just can’t stop eating them.

When I eat apples I typically like them with something. Sometimes I like them with a chunk of sharp cheddar and sometimes I like them dipped in sauce. I am particularly smitten by the peanut butter-apple combo. Like, whoever came up with that is my favorite person for eternity. The salty-sweet combo has my heart.

The other thing I really love to dip apples in is caramel. The sweet creamy goodness paired with the crunch of the apple — so, so good. This peanut butter caramel sauce was created so I never had to choose between the two again. And now, neither do you.

The caramel sauce has minimal ingredients to make things simple. This is sure to be your new addiction and the possibilities are endless. Start with dipping apples and see where the sauce takes you.

3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup peanut butter

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional

Heat the maple syrup, peanut butter, and coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once the ingredients have liquified and fully combined, stir in the vanilla. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator, using as needed.

Note: In the fridge the sauce will become more solid. If you would like to use it for dipping then I recommend scooping a little into a microwave-safe container and microwaving or heating in a sauce pan until it is runny again.

Tahini Green Smoothie Bowl

Seems like everywhere has been experiencing a heat wave lately. Thankful for warm weather, but MAN sometimes we just need a break. These smoothie bowls will carry you through until that next cold front arrives. They make the perfect breakfast, lunch, or dinner and are packed full of the vitamins and minerals to keep your body feelin’ happy. Bonus, no oven required, so you can keep your house as cool as possible!

Tahini Green Smoothie Bowl

• 2 bananas, frozen

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 4 cups packed spinach (or preferred greens)

• 3/4 cup milk of choice

• collagen (optional)

Toppings

• pumpkin seeds

• chia seeds

• flax seeds

• honey (this is our favorite local brand)

• raisins

• coconut flakes

• coconut butter

• oats

• banana slices

Place the bananas, tahini, and milk of choice in a food processor or blender. Blend until well combined. Add in the spinach and continue to blend until the spinach has all been processed. Divide the smoothie equally into two bowls and top with whatever toppings you choose.

Tip: peel and cut bananas prior to freezing

Chocolate Berry Chia Pudding (GF + Vegan)

This chia pudding was born from a desire to eat something sweet, but not too sweet for breakfast. It’s creamy, dreamy, but not going to leave you feeling like your teeth are going to fall out or make your blood sugars crash by 10am. There’s healthy fats, it’s sweetened only with fruit, and you can easily meal prep it ahead of time to make mornings a breeze.

Chocolate Berry Chia Pudding

• 1 1/2 cups almond milk 

• 3 medjool dates, pits removed

• 4 cups frozen mixed berries 

• 3 tablespoons coconut butter or almond butter 

• 1/2 cup cashews 

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 

• 6 tablespoons chia seeds

• sprinkle of salt

Heat almond milk, berries and dates in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5-6 minutes, just until the berries and dates have softened fully. Allow to cool slightly and then transfer to a food processor or high speed blender. Add in the cashews, cocoa powder, coconut butter, chia seeds and salt. Blend until all of the ingredients are fully combined. Transfer to an airtight container and allow to cool thoroughly in the refrigerate before serving. Use additional berries, nuts, nut butters, and coconut flakes for serving if desired. Keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.

If you prefer your pudding a bit sweeter I suggest adding a few more dates or topping it with a little bit of maple syrup when serving.

Weekend Waffles with Raspberry Orange Syrup (GF + Vegan)

Maybe to you me stating that I love Saturdays is like saying I love sunshine and I puppies. So obvious. For me though, the love is far less obvious. For the past three years I’ve worked as a wedding photographer which meant March-November my Saturdays were filled with commitments that required me take on grueling 16 hours days. It wasn’t always awful, but it wasn’t something I went to bed dreaming about waking up to go do. Saturdays were the day I longed to get behind me, not the day I counted down toward. There was so much dread surrounding this day that so many of my friends and family members longed for.

Today I have a different perspective. I recently transitioned out of the wedding industry into a job that requires MUCH less of my Saturdays and I like I am finally learning to love them again. Our current weekend rhythm is sleeping in until 8 or so, slowly making some coffee, reading a little, cleaning a little, running or going to a pilates yoga class, and then coming back home to make what I love to call “fancy breakfast”. The only thing really ever fancy about it is that it requires more effort than popping a piece of bread in the toaster. It’s never anything back breaking, but it’s always something a little extra special. These gluten-free waffles with raspberry orange syrup fit the bill and have made their appearance multiple times at “fancy breakfast”. Although the list of ingredients may seem lengthy, these waffles really do come together with minimal effort. You can easily enjoy something a little extra even if you’re keepin’ your saturday low key.

Weekend Waffles with Raspberry Orange Syrup

Inspired by the First Mess Easy Gluten-Free Waffles

THE WAFFLES

• 1 cup almond flour

• 1 1/2 cups gluten free oats

• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

• 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed

• 1 large ripe banana, mashed

• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 2 tablespoons liquid virgin coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

THE SYRUP

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

• 1/2 cup raspberries

• juice of 1/2 an orange

• zest of 1/2 an orange

For the waffles, combine the almond flour, oat flour, shredded coconut, baking powder, arrowroot powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together and set aside.

Using a large food processor or blender, combine the ground flaxseed, mashed banana, almond milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla for about one minute. The goal here is to activate the flaxseed’s gelling power to make sure that the batter stays together when it cooks. e syrup

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and allow to set for 15 minutes. Meanwhile heat a waffle iron to medium-high.

After the 15 minutes have passed and your waffle iron is hot and ready, grease the iron with some coconut oil using a pastry brush. Scoop 1/2 -3/4 cup batter (depending on the size of your iron) into the center of your iron and close the lid. Remove the waffles once they are golden brown on both sides.

For the syrup, combine the maple syrup, raspberries, orange juice, and orange zest in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as mixture begins to boil, lower the heat to a simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes or until it becomes thicker. Smash the raspberries periodically to ensure that they are fully incorporated into the syrup.

As soon as the waffles are finished top with fruit, nut butters, yogurt, and a much raspberry orange syrup you desire.