Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Pretzel, Popcorn Bark

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Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Pretzel, Popcorn Bark, Say What? Yes. It's happening.

Can I (Emily, here!) get a woot woot for easy, fast, and absolutely amazing recipes? This bark is going to make you want to do the happy dance. No lies. I included it in the Halloween Recipe series because a) cravings hit when handing out candy to trick-or-treaters so better entertain your tastebuds with something fabulous, b) if you're going to a party - read: not a frat party - and want something sweet & savory to bring along that's not the norm, these are perfect, and c) I'm eating this during Halloween time, and therefore it belongs in the Halloween Recipe series. Plus, if you've ever had chocolate spiders or haystacks, these taste like the deconstructed version (with an addition of popcorn of course, because really, why not?).

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This recipe brings all of the Great Vibes because it's ...

5 ingredients
ready to eat in under 30 minutes
sweet
savory
crunchy
rich
decadent
versatile

Why love bark? Sometimes yumminess doesn't have to be complicated. Chocolate bark as a base sets you up for recipe success every time. Think of the options: nuts & seeds, dried fruit, other types of chocolate, peppermint for the holidays, etc.

Ingredients & steps after the jump ... 

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Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Pretzel, Popcorn Bark

Ingredients ::

+ Pretzels (gf, v)
+ Popcorn (homemade with olive oil)
+ Peanut Butter (unsalted, organic)
+ 1 bag of Chocolate Chips (gf, v)
+ Salt (Pink Himalayan Sea Salt) 

Recipe ::

  1. Make popcorn - follow instructions on the bag or microwave 2 tbsp - 1/4 cup organic popcorn kernels with 1 tbsp olive oil in a glass container with vented lid until it is more than 5 seconds between popping (about 4-5 minutes, depends on microwave; you can also do this on the stove).

  2. Melt chocolate in a bowl, in a double broiler or microwaving on high for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until all of the chips have melted.

  3. Spread melted chocolate evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon mat.

  4. Cover with crushed pretzels & popcorn.

  5. Drizzle with peanut butter.

  6. Place in refrigerator or freezer to harden.

  7. Break into pieces, and enjoy! Xx.

Notes::

Stores well in the refrigerator or freezer. Will be more melty in a warm room.

Notice in my ingredients where I've written organic and where I've written vegan. If these things are important to you, I encourage you to do the same. Finances, availability, and personal consumer choice can impact purchase decisions. My hope is that you closely follow the recipe, but make allowances where necessary -- my feelings won't be hurt and your taste buds will still have a party. Promise!

+ What are your favorite bark toppings?

P.S. Use the hashtag #thegreatvibesguide for anything that makes you feel like doing the happy dance or expressing your imperfectly perfect self.

P.S.S. Did you know you get a free Great Vibes Guide & grocery store printable when you sign up for The Newsletter? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

P.S.S.S. Have you checked out all of the
other places Emily's spreading the Great Vibes?

Munchies So Good You Might Not Make it Back to the Couch

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I can safely say Scandal steals my heart every time Kerry Washington goes home to a big bowl of popcorn, a glass of wine, and a beautifully oversized sweater. When I’m done with my work, my first thought is to change my clothes (ugh tight jeans today), flip on some Netflix, and make a big ole batch of popcorn. Homemade style.

A little honey. Probably too much salt.

Being gluten-free and vegan never tasted so good. Okay there are some incredible foods out there... but this is quick bliss.

I wasn’t even going to eat the popcorn that I was making for all of you, but it screamed my name, popped for joy, and wound up crunching in my mouth before I knew it. Let me just say: best. decision. ever.

Popcorn is amazing. Not only is it 100% whole grain, a big check for healthy and happy tummies, but it also has about 4 grams of dietary fiber for every 4 cups of popped corn. The recommended daily intake of fiber is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. So good stuff! And let’s not stop there. Apparently, it has higher levels of healthy antioxidants than some fruits and vegetables! This antioxidant is known as polyphenol. Those pieces of popcorn that get stuck in your teeth, known as the hull, contain about 90% of these polyphenols.  Antioxidants help stop and sometimes reverse the damage done by unstable molecules known as “free radicals”. Thus protecting us against cancers, diseases, and other illnesses. See, I told you popcorn was amazing.

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Honey totes a long list of benefits! I’m going to do a more detailed post of this later, but I’ll give you a little bit of the lo down right now. Honey contains flavonoids, another type of antioxidant, that reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease. Honey reduces ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders, is anti-bacterial and antifungal, reduces cough and throat irritation, and when eating raw and local honey, you can expect to have less allergies (because the pollen that would be irritating has already been working it’s way in your system). Cool, huh?

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Sea Salt helps build a strong immune system. It is alkalizing meaning it helps prevent and reverse high acidity levels in your body, eliminating the risk for serious and life-threatening diseases. It also aids in weight loss, relieves dry and itchy skin, as well as and this is a big one helps to preserve serotonin and melatonin in the body which can help with various types of depression, allowing you to feel happier, relaxed, and give you the chance to sleep better at night.

Did you know a sweet and salty recipe could do so much?! Recipe after the pics...

SWEET & SALTY MUNCH CRUNCH POPCORN

This recipe is made in a microwave. There are a lot of concerns regarding microwaves, but I am away at school right now, and restricting myself too much has never served me well in the past, so I am making do with what is available. I hope to create a post using the stove top soon. xxoo

INGREDIENTS || try to by organic as often as possible but don’t miss out on greatness if you don’t have all organic

  • 1 brown paper bag
  • ~ 2.5 tbsp. popcorn
  • Sea Salt to taste
  • ** Honey to taste

Play around with the recipe! Add raisins, chocolate chips, puffed cereal! Popcorn is the rice of snack food… throw in a flavor and it just magically works. If you’re new to this whole vegan thing, try adding some coconut oil or olive oil to give it more of the movie popcorn consistency. Then as you become more accustomed to the taste, you might reduce this until you have just honey and salt.

**note: some vegans do not consume honey—that being said, honey hosts so many amazing and incredible benefits, makes me feel great without sugar crashes, and together are good enough reasons for me … feel free to substitute maple syrup or agave if you are a strict vegan; agave is more watery and might make the popcorn soggy, but I know maple syrup works like a charm. 

RECIPE || I don’t use exact measurements, so bare with me.

  1. Fill the bottom of the brown paper bag with about 2.5 tablespoons of popcorn kernels. The kernels will cover the bottom with some brown peaking through. Adjust amount according to paper bag size.
  2. Fold over the opening of the brown paper bag about 1 inch. Then fold again.
  3. Place the bag fold side down into the microwave.
  4. Microwave about two and a half minutes (mine takes two minutes and 45 seconds). A good rule of thumb (where does that phrase come from anyway?) is to stop the microwave when there is a pause of about two seconds in the popping.
  5. You now have air-popped popcorn!
  6. Open the bag, crack the salt into the bag, drizzle honey over the top, reseal, and shake, shake, shake. or Pour the popcorn into a bowl, drizzle the honey over the top, coat it with salt, and then stir with a spoon.

Grab a handful and get those taste buds a partying… I’d be surprised if you make it to your destination before consuming the whole bag. If so, no worries! Just head back over and make another bag :)

 

[Photographs by yours truly]