Vegan Peanut Butter Cups with Oat Base

Found this recipe for S'mores Cupcakes from FoodEase, found here: http://foodeasetv.com/2014/09/06/smores-cupcakes/.
For the "Marshmallow" top, however, I didn't have cashews so I substituted peanut butter and cut out the maple syrup. 

THUS THE CREATION OF MY VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER CUPS WITH OAT BASE. 

Ingredients:

Base
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp vanilla
A dash of cinnamon

Chocolate Filling
3 TBS cacao powder
3 TBS coconut oil, melted
2 TBS maple syrup

“Marshmallow"/Peanut Butter Top
Peanut Butter
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup nut milk or plant-based milk

Instructions: 

1. Mix the base and freeze

2. As base is freezing, mix the chocolate filling

3. Freeze chocolate filling on top of base, while freezing mix peanut butter top.

Vegan Chocolate Truffle Energy Bites

Back to school and work means schedules become much more hectic. On campus, schedules can become particularly hectic when you have back to back classes, doctor appointments, and you're trying to keep up your A game in the health and fitness department. 

Sure, there are vending machines everywhere on campus, but do you really want to put those extra refined sugary drinks and snacks in your body? 

Um, no thanks. 

I find that packing energy bites and granola bars is best for those awkward in between class free hours where you can't go back to the dorm, but you don't want to starve. 

Original recipe found at Sallys Baking Addiction, here: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/02/11/chocolate-truffle-energy-bites/

Ingredients:

• 14 whole, pitted dates
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup dry-roasted salted peanuts (or any type of peanut, I used unsalted raw peanuts)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• optional for rolling: cocoa powder, shredded coconut, crushed nuts, mini chocolate chips

*I recently discovered that some dates have bugs or dried seed like eggs still in them. I did some research and found that they are still okay to eat but inspect your dates prior to eating them and wash them thoroughly!

Instructions:

1. Soften dates in warm water and puree 

2. Add ingredients in order of ingredients list until they start to form a ball of dough

3. Measure bites with 1 Tablespoon and roll into balls