Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad

This Thai-inspired salad is packed with crisp, colorful vegetables and tossed in a delicious homemade peanut sauce. Not only is this healthy salad gluten free, but it can be prepared vegan as well. Throw it together for an easy meatless summer dinner and enjoy the leftovers for lunch throughout the rest of the week!

Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
Salad:

• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups shredded purple cabbage*
• 1 cup grated carrot*
• 1 cup thinly sliced snow peas or sugar snap peas*
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
• 1/2 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts, for garnish

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 Tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 Tbsp honey (or maple syrup)
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

*To keep it simple, I substituted a bagged coleslaw mix for these ingredients.

Directions

1. First, cook the quinoa: In a medium-sized pot, combine the quinoa and water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer the quinoa until it has absorbed all of the water. Remove the quinoa from heat, cover the pot and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Uncover the pot and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Whisk together the peanut butter and coconut aminos until smooth. (If this is difficult, microwave the mixture for 15-20 seconds to loosen it up.) Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.
3. In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, shredded cabbage, carrot, snow peas, cilantro, and green onion. Toss to combine, then pour in the peanut sauce. Toss again until everything is evenly coated in sauce.
4. Garnish with peanuts just before serving (otherwise they get soggy). Salad keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days.

Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate.

Almond Bark Cookies

This recipe holds a tremendous amount of sentimental value for me. When I was in junior high, I regularly babysat for our neighbors across the street who had two little boys. The parents went to a number of holiday parties every winter, and Mrs. Rickert made the most delicious Christmas sweets! These cookies were by far my most favorite treat of hers. One day my mom told her how much I loved these cookies. From then on, she made sure to have some for me every time I would go over to her house to babysit! She was such a thoughtful woman. Thankfully she shared the recipe with my mom because we moved out of state a couple years later. Now I think of her, the boys, and all our fun babysitting memories every Christmas when I make these cookies!

Almond Bark Cookies
Yield: depends on how large or small you make them!

Ingredients
24 oz package white almond bark
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups peanuts (I use lightly salted)
3 cups mini marshmallows
2 cups crisped rice cereal (I use Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice)

Directions
1. Put almond bark in glass bowl and follow melting directions on package.
2. Add peanut butter. Stir until smooth.
3. Add peanuts, marshmallows, and cereal. Stir until evenly coated.
4. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. Chill to set.
5. Store in refrigerator.

No Bake Snickers Crunch Bars

Growing up, my sisters and I would go out trick-or-treating together on Halloween. While that was certainly fun, the best part of the evening was when we brought all of our candy back home and started trading with each other to get the "good" stuff.

Thankfully, we all had a different top favorite! My older sister wanted to hoard Butterfingers while my younger sister collected all the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I bet you can't guess what my favorite was (and still is)... Snickers, of course! They are the perfect balance of salty and sweet, creamy and crunchy... all of the qualities you will find packed into these delicious homemade bars that rival the original!

Snickers Crunch Bars
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
Crunchy Chocolate Top and Bottom Layer:
 12 oz package semisweet chocolate chips, divided
 11 oz package butterscotch chips, divided
 1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
 3 cups crisped rice cereal, divided (I use Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice)

Nougat Layer:
 1/4 cup unsalted butter
 1 cup granulated sugar
 1/4 cup evaporated milk
 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff*
 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
 1 1/2 cups roasted, lightly salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
 1 tsp vanilla

Caramel Layer:
 11 oz bag caramels or caramel bits
 1/4 cup evaporated milk

*WARNING! Did you know that marshmallow fluff can be a hidden source of gluten? Beware of the generic or off-brands which are often cross-contaminated with wheat. I go with a national name brand like Kraft.

Directions
Crunchy Chocolate Bottom Layer:
 1. Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
 2. Combine half of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until chips are fully melted and mixture is smooth.
 3. Stir in half of cereal until fully coated. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Nougat Layer:
 4. In small saucepan, combine butter, sugar, and evaporated milk over medium heat, stirring until butter is completely melted and sugar is dissolved.
 5. Bring mixture to boil and cook for additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallow crème until smooth. Stir in peanut
butter and vanilla. Fold in peanuts.
 6. Pour nougat layer over chilled chocolate bottom layer. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Caramel Layer:
 7. Combine caramels and evaporated milk in microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 1 minute. Stir and heat on high in 30-second intervals until caramel is completely melted.
 8. Spread caramel over top of chilled nougat layer.

Crunchy Chocolate Top Layer:
 9. Repeat directions for bottom layer (steps 2 and 3).
 10. Pour mixture on top of chilled caramel layer. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
 11. Bars should be refrigerated until ready to eat. Cut and serve.

Recipe adapted from Mom on Time Out.