Hey guys!

I was thrilled that amongst the usual nonsense of Health Magazine’s November issue (ya know — the how to lose 5 pounds in 5 minutes and how to have great sex even when dead crap), there was a one-page article on Alicia Silverstone’s October book release, The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet.  Even though I cringe at the title, I had been excited to try a recipe from this book ever since Lindsay of Happy Herbivore posted on the book here.  Also, I just generally have a soft-spot for Alicia as she seems filled with that idealism I lost when I went over to the cranky side (plus – not gonna lie – Clueless is one of my all-time favorite movies, don’t judge!).  So, I tried the recipe for CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS *swoon* below and I’ll tell you what I thought…

Alicia’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance natural spread (dairy free butter) — 640 calories, 72 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein
• 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (preferably natural, unsweetened, and unsalted) -*I used Kirkland Brand Organic Peanut Butter, Smooth* — 1200 calories, 90 g fat, 12 g fiber, 54 g protein
• 3/4 c graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares, crushed -*I used 5 Trader Joe’s Old Fashioned Cinnamon Grahams (NOT vegan b/c they have honey) — 240 calories, 8 g fat, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein Note: these MAY have honey in them!
• 1/4 cup maple sugar or other granulated sweetener -*I used Trader Joe’s Organic Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar* — 60 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein
• 1 c grain-sweetened nondairy chocolate chip or carob chips-*I used Trader Joe’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips* — 1280 calories, 64 g fat, 16 g fiber, 16 g protein
• 1/4 c soy, rice or nut milk-*I used Blue Diamond Natural Almond Breeze, Unsweetened Vanilla* — 10 calories, 0.75 g fat, 0.5 g fiber, 0.25 g protein
• 1/4 c chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts-*I used Kirkland brand Pecans* — 200 calories, 20 g fat, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein

Directions

• Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. (Find out where to find unbleached liners at ifyoucare.com). Set the tin aside.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar; mix well. Remove the mixture from the heat.  Divide mixture evenly (about two tablespoons per cup) among the muffin cups.
• Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted.  Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture. Top with chopped nuts. Place in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.
• Total Nutritional Composition:  3630 calories, 254.75 g fat, 32.50 g fiber, 77.25 g protein
  
• Per 1/12: 302.50 calories, 21.23 g fat, 2.71 g fiber, 6.44 g protein

The Cranky One Cautions

I thought these peanut butter cups tasted delicious — like amazingly delicious because the graham cracker crunch mixes with the peanut butter smoothness and is then heightened by the chocolate topping and *oh-em-gee-i’m-drooling* factor; however, I will not make them again unless I severely alter the recipe. This recipe is a prime example of how the “vegan” or “vegetarian” label do not give you a free-for-all pass to gorge on the food.  One dessert portion packing over 302 calories and 21 grams of fat is a little crazy in my book unless it’s a slice of cheesecake the size of my head.  While these treats certainly are good, I would be much happier portioning them out to half their size and altering the recipe so it’s not so saturated with fat.  Seriously, if you eat two of them that’s 605 calories and 42.46 grams of fat — that’s close in calories to, and yet MORE fat than, a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and small French Fries (641 calories & 30.5 g fat for the McDonald’s combo) — granted, eating saturated meat fat is presumably worse for your health and the environment at large, but…seriously…

Suggested Alterations

• Use half a cup of Better ‘N Peanut Butter and a quarter of regular peanut butter and you’d cut a total of 400 calories and 52 g of fat! that’s better ‘n nuts! Note: Better ‘N Peanut Butter is NOT vegan.
• Use Carob Chips instead of Chocolate Chips — Based on the Sunspire brand of Carob Chips, you’d cut a total of 36 g of fat from the recipe and 720 calories! that’s insane!
• Try using crumbs of Puffin Cereal on top of the cups instead of nuts if you’re watching calories — Puffins are still vegan!
• Eliminate half the Earth’s Balance!  I think the spread might have been unnecessary for the taste, but perhaps necessary to create the consistency?  As it was, there was an oily residue coming out of each cup wrapper as there was definitely enough oil in the p.b. alone. I’d try substituting apple sauce or pureed banana for the spread if you’re vegan.  If not, I bet non-fat plain yogurt would be great.  Maybe even almond or soy milk!
• Pour into TWO 12-cup muffin tins!

My Fave Peanut Butter Dessert Alternatives

• Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Chewy Coated & Drizzled Granola Bars
• One bar — 160 calories, 8 g fat, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein; Ingredients: organic peanuts, organic brown rice syrup, peanut coating (sugar, fractionated palm kernel oil, partially defatted peanut flour, salt, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], cocoa powder, whey powder [milk], vegetable monoglycerides, natural flavors, paprika extract [color]), organic oats, crisp rice (rice flour, sugar, salt, barley malt), organic invert cane juice syrup, organic evaporated cane juice, organic peanut butter (organic peanuts, salt), organic oat syrup solids, wheat flakes (rolled wheat, sugar, salt, barley malt), organic expeller pressed canola oil, sea salt, natural flavor, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), tocopherols (vitamin E) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) added for freshness. Note: Not vegan.

• Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies found here
  
• One cookie — 61.98 calories, 3.75 g fat, 0.43 g fiber, 2.0 g protein; Not vegan.
  

In the News

• The New York Times‘, “A Few Cookies a Day to Keep the Pounds Away? ” (10/21/09) here
• Science Daily’s, “Phytochemicals In Plant-based Foods Could Help Battle Obesity, Disease” (10/21/09) here

Give-Away Round Up

• Win a shirt and scarf from Fluxus Brand Clothing here
• Win some Michael Season’s baked chips here
• Win three boxes of FiberOne muffins here
• Win some Nature Made vitamins here

What’s your favorite vegan treat? Peanut butter treat? Interested in Alicia’s book? What do you think about the nutritional composition of Alicia’s Peanut Butter Cups?

<3, The Cranky One