Chocolate Almond Pretzel Toffee
May 1st, 2012 § 18 Comments
Ever have one of those days where you just need a little something sweet? 
You know, something that covers all the bases- sweet, salty, crunchy and yummy?
My Mom and I have those days all the time. Seriously! We can’t be the only ones… 
Today was one of those days.
Since I was out and about most of the weekend at two different Sweet Sixteen parties and several of Phil’s baseball games, I didn’t have much time to bake. A total bummer since I’ve been bookmarking recipes from Foodgawker, Pinterest, and My Kitchen Bucket List like crazy!
So today after dinner my Mom and rummaged through the pantry for a little something sweet. Normally we have random baked goods like cookies or muffins lying around that we can satisfy our sweet tooth with but since we didn’t have anything on hand (and since I already finished all of my homework and had time to kill) I got to do some experimenting.
With homemade toffee. And pretzels. And chocolate. And almonds. And it was all ready in a little over an hour. Yum! 
Chocolate Almond Pretzel Toffee
“A fun play on the famous sweet and salty combination that is saltine cracker toffee. The difference is that this delicious toffee is filled with crunchy mini pretzels instead of crackers and topped with semi-sweet chocolate, chopped almonds, and a sprinkling of sea salt. Go ahead – take a bite!”
Toffee adapted from Bran Appetit
Ingredients:
- 30-35 mini pretzels
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons water
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ – 2/3 cup roasted almonds, chopped
- a pinch or two of sea salt for topping
Directions:
- Place butter, water, sugar and salt in a saucepan and heat on medium high heat until melted. Bring to a boil and let cook until mixture reaches a soft crack stage (approximately 285 degrees). This will take 10-15 minutes. (I usually just judge the doneness by color. When the toffee reaches a light caramel color, it’s done.)
- Once the toffee is at the right temperature (or color), take it off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Place the pretzels, close together, in a single layer on top of a parchment-lined baking sheet, pour toffee overtop the pretzels, and spread into an even layer. Let the toffee sit 20-30 minutes or until hardened.
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips in the microwave for a minute, stirring occasionally, and spread onto the hardened toffee. Top with chopped almonds and sprinkle with sea salt. Leave at room temperature or refrigerate until chocolate has set. Break into pieces and store in an air-tight container at room temperature.
Break into pieces. Shove pieces into mouth. Devour. Repeat.
Craving satisfied!
Coconut Maple Granola
February 18th, 2012 § 12 Comments
Good Morning Everyone!
Who’s ready for a fabulous long weekend? I know I am!
This weekend is going to be an exciting and relaxing one for me. Today will be filled with hair, make-up, and nails in preparation for my school’s annual Cotillion dance tonight and then I am free to chill out for the next two days. I don’t even have that much homework!
This morning I woke up with a hankering for homemade granola. No biggie, I thought. I got washed and dressed and got right to work!
Granola is actually one of my favorite things to make. It’s mess-free, easy to prepare, and can be made in under an hour. Plus you can adapt it to whatever you have on hand and it’s virtually fail-proof. Unless you burn the granola…I may or may not have done that a few times. 
Coconut Maple Granola
“Coconut maple is my favorite granola flavor because it’s different, yet totally delicious! I like using granola as a topper for yogurt and ice cream! Granola will stay fresh in an air-tight container for up to 3 months!”
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- ½ cup puffed rice cereal (like Rice Krispies!)
- ½ cup roasted cashews
- ½ cup roasted almonds
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 275º Fahreneheit. Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
- Place granola on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray or lined with parchment. Bake for 25-30 minutes without stirring!
- Preheat oven to 425º Fahreneheit. Bake granola for an additional 3-5 minutes and enjoy!
Yield: ~3 ½ cups granola
What are your plans for this weekend?
Have you ever made granola before?
Mixed Nut And Chia Butter
April 14th, 2011 § 48 Comments
As if I don’t already have enough jars of nut butter.
Today I was stuck at home all day. After battling a cold for an entire week, a harsh round of Track intervals reared its ugly side yesterday and left me feeling terrible. Thus the reason why I was stuck at home today.
After a few hours of blog reading and setting up my Bites Of Life page in the morning, I finally decided to be somewhat productive and try to clean my room. That lasted for about 5 minutes. Let’s just say my room isn’t the most organized. Instead, I ventured into the kitchen, plugged in my food processor, and began making nut butter.
Inspired by Nuttzo, I began throwing in roasted almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and cashews, blending them until they reached a creamy consistency. I took the first spoonful. Pure bliss. I tossed in a couple tablespoons of chia seeds at the end to complete the mix. It was perfection. The chia seeds added the perfect texture and crunch to an already delicious-tasting nut butter.
Mixed Nut And Chia Butter
“Inspired by Nuttzo, this nut butter is a nutritional powerhouse! It’s a great source of protein, fiber, calcium, and Omega 3s! Enjoy it on toast, crackers, or even by the spoonful to reap its amazing benefits.”
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw almonds*
- 1 cup raw peanuts*
- 1 cup raw cashews*
- 1 cup raw walnuts*
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450ºF.
- Place nuts in a large bowl. Add ¼ cup canola oil and toss to combine. Spread nuts evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 5-6 minutes, or until they are a light golden color.
- Once the nuts are done roasting, place in a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Place roasted nuts, salt, chia seeds, and remaining canola oil in a food processor. Process on high for 8-10 minutes, stirring/scraping down sides often.
- Scoop finished nut butter into jars and enjoy!
Yield: 2 cups nut butter
*If you buy roasted nuts, skip steps #1 and #2 and continue with the rest of the recipe as written.
* * * * *
Once I had the nut butter photographed and jarred, my stomach started grumbling. I quickly made myself some toast with Mixed Nut And Chia Butter and it was delicious. At the last minute, I topped it with some grilled banana slices. Heaven on a plate. I highly recommend trying it!
In addition to toast and banana slices, I also really enjoy using this as a dip for fresh apple slices and eating by the spoonful. Yum!
Oh and before I sign off for the night, I’d like to answer a question I got on Twitter the other day.
I always hear you talking about your “nut butter addiction” and huge nut butter stash on your blog. How many tablespoons of nut butter do you consume daily and how many jars of nut butter do you own?
This question really put a smile on my face! I love nut butters and probably eat anywhere from 2-4 tablespoons of nut butter on a daily basis and own around 11 jars of nut butter.
Actually, counting today’s little nut butter adventure, make that 12.
