ensconced inside walls of glass and wood, a human-scale snow globe, the world outside awash in white.
flakes falling steadily:
sometimes heavily, fat and lacy, thick in the damp air.
sometimes urgently, more granular, staccato pellets rushing to meet the ground and clattering against interfering windows.
sometimes en masse, so dense that the scene fades to ice, snowflake curtains blotting out houses, trees, parked cars, lampposts.
inside, we cozy up. steam swirls up from mugs just as outside the snow swirls down. paints and yarns and crafts dominate the day, and we indulge, too, in a few sweet treats.
maple peanut butter fudge
Sometimes a sweet tooth needs a quick and easy, healthy-ish dessert. These three-ingredient (four if you want to top with some flaky sea salt) fudge bites are just that. They are vegan and gluten-free, melt-in-your-mouth creamy and just-sweet-enough. A wonderful treat for Valentine’s Day-–or any day. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 C (256 g) natural peanut butter
2/3 C melted coconut oil
3/8 C maple syrup
flaky sea salt (opt.)
To prepare:
Line a 4″ by 8″ bread pan with a single sheet of parchment paper. It’s okay if the edges are not sharply folded.
In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup.
Stir over low heat until everything comes together in a smooth mixture, about 2-3 minutes.
Pour into the lined pan and place into the refrigerator to chill until firmed up, at least 4 hours or so.
Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired, slice, and enjoy!
Keep leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator up to a week, or in the freezer for a month.
