No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispies (Vegan)

I'm already slacking with my blog again. Honestly, it's because I'm stressed with school. I've had a lower eyelid twitch on my left eye for the past two and a half weeks that has become more than a little bothersome. However, being stressed is about the worst excuse I could possibly give for not posting because there are only two things that de-stress me: working out and baking. Unfortunately (or fortunately for my waist line?) I have been doing the former.

Anyways, these no bake treats are quite simple to whip up, and it could be reasoned that they are somewhat healthy as they contain only "good" fats- coconut and peanut butter. But, at 200 calories apiece I wouldn't go eating the entire batch :P!

As soon as I saw this recipe over on Oh She Glows, I knew it would be a vegan dessert that even my animal-product-loving boyfriend would devour. I basically just showed him the photo on Angela's blog, without telling him that it included ingredients that make him cringe like almond milk and brown rice syrup, and he was sold. He immediately went to the grocery store and bought me the cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips that I lacked in the pantry. (He still doesn't know they were vegan!)

These crispies were quick to make; the only hard part was waiting for them to firm up in the freezer. The homemade chocolate peanut butter topping makes the bars absolutely decadent and deliciously rich. I recommend serving these with One Ingredient Banana Soft Serve for the ultimate combo of chocolate, peanut butter, and banana. (If you haven't heard of this amazing creation storming the blog-o-sphere yet, it is simply frozen bananas whipped in a food processor, NOT blender, until a super creamy ice cream consistency. It literally is EXACTLY like soft serve, you won't believe it. I also suggest you try the banana soft serve with some of the extra chocolate peanut butter blended in :D)

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispies

recipe slightly adapted from here

makes 16 bars

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
• 3/4 cup warm Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter (recipe below)
• 1/2 cup non-dairy dark chocolate chips
• shredded, unsweetened coconut

1. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with 2 sheets of parchment paper (one going each way).
2. In a large saucepan melt together the peanut butter, rice syrup, vanilla, and almond milk over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Slowly add in the cocoa powder and salt and stir to combine. Pour in the rice cereal and remove from heat. Stir to completely coat the cereal.
3. Spread the mixture into your lined baking dish. Using a sheet of wax paper, press it down evenly.
4. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up. (Now is a food time to make the chocolate peanut butter if you haven't already.)
5. Remove dish from freezer and pour the chocolate peanut butter over the firm cereal mixture. Spread it around so it coats evenly.
6. Sprinkle the dark chocolate chips and shredded coconut over the top of the bars.
7. Place in the freezer for 45 minutes to an hour to set up. Remove from freezer, cut, and serve! (Store bars in the fridge.)

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter

recipe from here

ingredients:

• 1 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup non dairy dark chocolate chips
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• salt, to taste

1. Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together in the microwave fro 30 to 60 seconds.
2. Stir the chocolate mixture and salt into the peanut butter until combined.