And I still feel the way after the second, third, fourth, and (infinity) times I’ve made this one. I TRULY LOVE THESE WAFFLES.

And bonus? They’re vegan! Yet total crowd-pleasers! And no complicated ingredients here, nuh uh. These Almond Butter Waffles are so, so easy, and with just a handful of ingredients to boot. Perfect.

They’re based off of my Light & Crispy Vegan Waffles, another super easy yet crowd-goes-wild recipe. I do love those waffles, but sometimes I’m craving waffles with a little more heft – a bit heartier. So I thought I’d throw some almond butter and a banana into the mix and oooooh yeah. New fave right here.

They cook up crispy and golden brown. I love them with slices of banana, pure maple syrup, and a drizzle of warmed almond butter. I’ve even thrown a few hemp seeds on top for a bit of added nutrition. Well, not literally thrown – that sounds messy. And angry. And these waffles make me anything but angry. SO GOOD.

More Banana Breakfast Goodness

• These fluffy banana pancakes are a more traditional banana pancake recipe but definitely worth a try!
• Banana Oat Blender Pancakes are so easy and taste fantastic! I have a blueberry version too.
• Super Moist Vegan Banana Bread Muffins are such a delicious banana breakfast!
• This Banana Walnut Oatmeal recipe cooks up fast and easy in your electric pressure cooker.

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Crispy Almond Butter Waffles

Light and crisp yet hearty and full-of-flavor. Friends, meet my new favorite waffle.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 medium ripe banana
• 3 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping ideas:

• Vegan butter
• Banana slices
• Almond butter
• Pure maple syrup
• Hemp seeds

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mash together banana and almond butter. Whisk in coconut milk, brown sugar, and vanilla.
• Set a sifter over the bowl. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Sift into the wet ingredients.
• Stir with a spatula until incorporated, but don’t over-stir!
• Cook according to waffle maker instructions.
• Serve with assorted toppings!

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But lately, I’ve been hearing a lot about apple picking, and on this side of the mountains, no less. Obviously, we needed to give this a try.

So off we went, down to a farm in the valley, grocery bags in hand – juicy (and giant!) honeycrisps and galas clustered on heavy branches everywhere we turned. 10 minutes later, we found ourselves lugging three heavy bags of apples to the weighing station. 35 pounds of apples, at $2.50 a pound. We experienced a bit of sticker shock, but on the plus side, there’s nothing quite like being flush in apples. Especially those crunchy, juicy, sweet honeycrisps. So, yes Will Hunting, we definitely like them apples.

Recently, I’ve found myself fascinated with the concept of date caramel. I’ve seen a few recipes swirling around for “caramel” sauce made with Medjool dates and it has been on my list to try for awhile now. Needless to say, having fifty thousand apples in my possession is pretty strong incentive to make a caramel recipe, so Medjool dates made their way onto my grocery list and into my blender. I wasn’t going to make straight-up date caramel, exactly, but instead a nice date caramel-ly dip to go along with oodles of apples.

In my search to find the original source for date caramel, I finally found this recipe from Nourishing Meals, shared back in 2010. But her recipe wasn’t for date caramel … it was for a caramel apple dip with dates! Brilliant original idea, Kare. Brilliant.

Ah well, I suppose if this 3-Ingredient Healthy Caramel Apple Dip didn’t turn out to be the most original, at least it is supremely delicious.

So here’s what we’ve got. Sticky-sweet Medjool dates. Some hot water. Creamy, dreamy almond butter – sublime with apples in and of itself, but also luxurious incorporated into a healthier caramel apple dip recipe.

Plus, some vanilla extract and a hefty pinch of salt. Oh, and some cinnamon if you like. I know that’s actually five ingredients but 1) I don’t count the salt and 2) The cinnamon is optional. Perhaps lame excuses, but we can all agree either way that this a nice and simple recipe, no?

I love this recipe. It’s not silky smooth like caramel – and yes, you can taste the almond butter – but it still gives off a luxuriously caramelly vibe and that, my friends, is what it’s all about.

Apples and caramel and fall and oh-so-cozy happiness.

Okay, but maybe a few less apples next year at the u-pick orchard.

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3-Ingredient Healthy Caramel Apple Dip

Made with sticky-sweet Medjool dates, creamy almond butter, and pure vanilla extract, this healthier take on caramel apple dip makes the whole apple-a-day thing even more of a treat.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 10 medjool dates pitted*
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup almond butter here’s how to make your own
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
• Pinch kosher salt + more to taste if desired

Instructions

• Add medjool dates and water to the pitcher of a high-speed blender. If necessary, let sit for 10-30 minutes, until softened.
• Add the almond butter, vanilla, pinch salt, and cinnamon if using. Puree on high speed until completely smooth, a minute or two. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if needed to keep things moving.
• Transfer to serving bowl. Keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days … um, it never really lasts that long around here.

The post 3-Ingredient Healthy Caramel Apple Dip appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Making the decision to go al fresco with your meal is the easy part. Finding something that’s delicious cold – AND portable, if you’re picnicking it – can be a little tougher.

That’s why I love recipes like these Veggie-Loaded Sesame Almond Butter Noodles – just whip it up ahead of time and enjoy it chilled later on.

For these sesame almond butter noodles, I love putting individual portions right in mason jars for the easiest transport and serving. The pasta, veggies, and almond-butter based sauce makes for a complete yet simple main that everyone on the blanket will dig.

This recipe is a riff on my Veggie-Loaded Peanut Butter Noodles, one of my favorites. It’s essentially the same recipe, but with almond butter swapped in for the peanut butter, and a few sliced almonds added in for crunch.

Not just for picnics, this recipe is also perfect as a make-ahead weeknight dinner, or a great meal-prep situation for easy grab-and-go lunching. I think it might also work well for kids’ lunches, especially if peanut butter is a thumbs-down at school.

No matter why you cook ’em, be sure to take them outside to eat. It’ll taste even better. Truth.

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I’m not sure what it is about almond butter, but it tastes kind of like cookie dough to me – especially homemade almond butter. Is it just me? Am I crazy? I think I know the answer to that, and I’m not sure I like it.

So I took my craziness, and I made it into a smoothie. As fall approached, I was craving a protein-rich smoothie with warm spices and filling ingredients. I love oats in smoothies, so it wasn’t long before I was determined to create a smoothie that tasted just like an oatmeal cookie. And when I think cookie, I think almond butter! Or something like that.

Yeah. Definitely crazy.

But for that it’s worth, this vegan Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie? It’s crazy good. Like, seriously, one of my best smoothies ever. I like it so much it makes me talk like, like a valley girl. Tubular!

Okay, so here’s what we’ve got. Oats, soaked for just a few minutes in almond milk to soften ’em up (oats can taste chalky in smoothies, and that extra step can help). Banana for sweetness and creaminess. A date to add some extra caramelly sweet goodness because the smoothie is based on a cookie, after all. Cozy cinnamon and vanilla. And, of course, a scoop of almond butter.

I love this Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie for breakfast, but they’re equally delicious as an afternoon pick-me-up or just when I’m craving something sweet. Perfect after-school snack too. Maybe by the time our picky daughter is in school full-time, she’ll finally realize that smoothies are fan-freaking-tastic. But until then, I guess I’ll have to enjoy them for her.

Because I’m not only crazy sometimes, I’m selfless too.

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