update

i should've posted something a while ago. and then more and more time passes, and now it's 6 or 7 months since i last posted! well in case you haven't guessed (is anyone still checking this blog?), i'm not blogging anymore. i used to love it, but not anymore. i think it changed from what it used to be and so i just don't enjoy it anymore. plus it's really time consuming, and i'd just rather do other stuff with my time. i've loved being a part of the food blogger world though! and i'm still checking out other people's blogs though, and i'm sure i will continue to (i just don't comment nearly as often). i'm also pregnant (due in april), so have been focusing a lot of my free time on preparing for that. :)

if you want to contact me you can always email me at emdrecipes @ gmail . com

no bake peanut butter chocolate crispy bars

oh dear it's been a while since i've updated! probably because i pretty much never go on the computer at home anymore. i used to spend a ton of time on the computer so it's a weird shift i guess. i've become super obsessed with reading.

well i've always been a reader, but while i was in school i felt guilty for reading so would rarely read anything. but since i finished school last summer, got my ereader and discovered good reads, i have been devouring books like no other!

i read before work, on my breaks at work, after work, while in the car driving to the grocery store (with my husband driving of course, though i'd be lying if i told you that i've never thought about reading while being stuck in traffic on the highway coming home from work), and pretty much anywhere i can. i've read around 100 books in the last 9 months. (though i've also stopped watching as much tv as it gets in the way of my reading time!!)

now that the weather in vancouver is finally starting to feel like summer, i have to remind myself to put my ereader down and go out for a walk or hike.

i suppose these are a healthier rice crisp style bar (and are vegan), but when you can't stop eating them like me then they become less healthy?? i think ate most of the pan myself. i love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate and crunchiness from the rice crisps. this is a great summer treat because you don't have to turn on the oven and you eat them cold!

if these sound good, you might also like:
chocolate coconut snowballs
cocoa nibbles
peanut butter squares with milk chocolate and oats
marshmallow crunch brownie bars

no bake peanut butter chocolate crispy bars
adapted from oh she glows

makes 16 squares

1/2 cup all natural peanut butter
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder
3 cups crisp rice cereal
1/2 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

fudge topping
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 tsp coconut oil
1 cup all-natural peanut butter

prepare an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

in a pot on the stove over low-medium heat, whisk together the brown rice syrup, vanilla, almond milk and cocoa powder. stir and heat until mixed and smooth.

put the rice crisps in a large bowl, and pour the brown rice syrup mixture over top. quickly stir together, then add the 1/2 cup chocolate chips. spread the mixture in the prepared pan. smooth and press down. put it in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.

make the fudge topping next. melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds. remove and stir. if not melted, microwave for another 15-30 seconds. remove and stir until smooth, then add in the peanut butter. stir until smooth.

remove the pan from the ferezer and pour the fudge over top, spreading evenly. put the pan in the refrigerator or freezer to firm up (about 45 minutes in the freezer or longer in the refrigerator). cut into squares.

three-flavour pancit

i want to try and post recipes that i've recently made so they're fresh in my mind, but i was looking over my backlog of food photos and came across this noodle dish. and i couldn't not share it.

i love all types of asian food but as a vegetarian, there aren't always a lot of options when i go out to eat them, or i don't know the food well enough to know how to ask for a vegetarian version. and i don't really know how to cook much asian food at home (unless i happily stumble across a recipe like this).

finding a good asian (thai, chinese, japanese, filipino, anything really) dish that i can make at home is like hitting the jackpot for me! so if you have any good homemade vegetarian asian dishes please please share the recipes.

anyway so pancit is a filipino noodle dish. i've seen it before but never tried it because it always has meat, but not today my fellow non-meat eating friends!! this one has tofu, red bell pepper, green onions, peas, cilantro, lemon, sesame oil and soy sauce. it's supposed to have tofu, tempeh and seitan. but tempeh and i still have a shaky relationship and i also wanted to simplify the recipe.

in conclusion, this was delicious.

if this sounds good, you might also like:
lime peanut noodles with seitan, kale, and carrots
udon noodles with peanut sauce and seitan
kung pao noodles with peanuts and wok fried vegetables
vegetarian pho

three-flavour pancit
adapted from vegan planet

serves 4

8 ounces bean thread noodles
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 package extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2" dice
1/2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
lemon wedges

cook the bean thread noodles according to package directions. drain and toss with sesame oil. (i hate when noodles are too long so i cut them up with scissors after they were cooked.)

heat a large wok over medium heat. add the tofu and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. remove the tofu from the wok.

add the canola oil to the wok, and increase heat to medium-high. add ginger, bell pepper, and green onions, and cook for about 3 minutes. add the peas and tofu. add the soy sauce and stir. add the noodles and cook until hot, about 5 minutes.

serve hot garnished with cilantro and lemon wedges. add more sesame oil and soy sauce to taste if desired.

eat your books giveaway winner

the winner of the eat your books giveaway is MamaStephF! (determined using random.org) congratulations! :)

bhutanese pineapple rice & red thai tofu

as i mentioned in my last post, i'm back to blogging! i really enjoyed my blog break. it was weird though because i had no idea what to look at on the internet. who knew there were other things out there aside from food blogs?! i had time for pinterest which i know has been around forever! i didn't have to take photos of everything i made (though i did often take photos for instagram, which is so much less stressful and i love the fun filters). i didn't worry about making sure i made new recipes so i'd have more to blog about (though i ended up making tons of new recipes anyway). i had so much free time!!

i don't want to give up so much of my free time again for blogging so i likely won't blog as often. but i'm going to try and blog about things i've made right after making them, rather than months later. that way it will be fresher in my mind and i'll be more excited to share them with you guys.

also, i hate writing with proper capitalization. so i'm not going to anymore! such a rebel.

okay i'll shutup about all that and talk about the food now. i love fried rice and fried noodles. i rarely use a recipe for fried rice but this one is different than what i usually do with the thai curry paste and pineapple. i don't usually like fruit in my meals but i did enjoy the pineapple for a change. and i was skeptical that only 2 teaspoons of curry paste would be enough but it was. the tofu was also amazing, super flavourful. both the rice and tofu have basically the same flavouring ingredients (thai curry paste, soy sauce, agave, garlic, ginger, onions/shallots).

both these recipes were delicious and highly recommended! one of my favourite meals we've had recently. and two of the best recipes that i've tried from appetite for reduction.

make sure you guys enter the giveaway for eat your books!

if this sounds good, you might also like:
greek basmati rice
fried rice with scallions, edamame and tofu
buddha's delight with tofu, broccoli and water chestnuts
soy-mirin tofu with snow peas and peanut sauce

bhutanese pineapple rice
adapted from appetite for reduction

serves 4

1 cup dry brown rice, prepared as per package directions
2 tsp thai red curry paste
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp agave
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 cups pineapple, 1/2" dice

if you haven't prepared the rice yet, do that first. the easiest would be to make the rice the day before so you don't have to wait for it.

in a small bowl, whisk together curry paste, water, soy sauce and agave. set aside.

heat a wok over medium heat, and add the oil. once hot, saute the onion, garlic and ginger for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. stir in the cilantro and cook until cilantro is wilted. add in the rice and curry mixture. stir and cook for a few minutes, until rice is warmed. add the pineapple and stir for another minute.

red thai tofu
adapted from appetite for reduction

serves 4

1 block extra firm tofu, cubed
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup shallots, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp thai red curry paste
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp low sodium soy suace
1 tbsp agave
15 fresh basil leaves

heat a skillet over medium heat. add the tofu and dry fry (without oil) for about 10 minutes, stirring every once in a while to ensure all sides are browned. remove the tofu from the pan.

meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the curry paste, water, soy sauce and agave.

add the olive oil to the pan. once heated, add the bell pepper, shallots, garlic and ginger. saute for about 5 minutes. add the tofu and the curry mixture. stir and cook for another 5 minutes. add the basil and stir until wilted.