Based on a lot of yesterday’s comments, it seems like the imagination is something we need to keep in balance. A lot of you were interested in the tempeh strips I had, so you can click here to see the brand I used.
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When you hear “jungle” what do you think of? Well I think of monkeys pealing bananas, elephants munching peanuts and big luscious green leaves.
So since a few days ago I felt like creating a jungle out of my kitchen (what a mess) I decided to make up some:
Jungle cookie dough dip:
(based off of Katie’s Cookie Dough Dip)
- 3 tbsp peanut flour,+ 5 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp banana extract
- quarter cup + 2 tbsp almond breeze
- 1.5 cups of chick peas
- spinach (handful)
- 1.5 tsp xanthan gum (If it bothers your insides then omit and use less liquids)
- 5 stevia packets
I mixed everything in my blender, and divided into jars for later consumption.
My first jungle cookie dough covered fruit bowl was delicious…
my second jungle cookie dough with lemon curd mixed in was divine…
…but it all went downhill from there…
Have you ever wondered why some food spoils faster then others? I’ve noticed that some of my baked goods spoil really fast, while others last longer. Since I have an insatiable hunger for knowledge (and food), I set about some research to get down to the truth.
“Sugar preserves food by lowering the water activity (aw). If the aw is 85 or less, spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms can’t grow. Microorganisms all need proper food, water, temperature and acidity to grow and adding sugar to appropriate levels can prevent bacterial growth.”
There we have it, the reason why this dip was inedible by the second day, and most likely the reason why my Lemonhini muffins were spoilt after the 3rd day! I don’t think the spinach in the jungle dip would help much either. If your looking for a similar dip that looks a whole lot better check out Nikki’s Banana Walnut Hummus!
I had never actually considered the reason for sugar in recipes other than sweetness of course, but that sparked my curiosity about the purpose of other baking ingredients:
- Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate. When baking soda is combined with moisture and an acidic ingredient (e.g., yogurt, chocolate, buttermilk, honey), the resulting chemical reaction produces bubbles of carbon dioxide that expand under oven temperatures, causing baked goods to rise. (source)
- Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, but it includes the acidifying agent already (cream of tartar), and also a drying agent (usually starch). (source)
- The main function of salt in cake recipes is to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients. Its presence perks up the depth and complexity of other flavors as the ingredients meld. Salt also provides a balance to the sweetness of cake batters—but a salty flavor should not be discernible. Depending upon the method of combining ingredients, salt can also have a strengthening effect if it’s combined with egg whites. If whipped egg whites to which salt has been added are “folded in,” they’re better able to hold their volume. Although salt is not considered to be an aid in leavening, it can contribute slightly to the volume of some recipes. (source)
So there you have it, every ingredient matters so be sure to keep that in mind next time you start tampering with a recipe
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Have you ever made something that spoiled really quickly? What was it? Do you follow recipes exactly? Are you a fan of whole chickpea’s? (I prefer mine in hummus!)
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Aww man I hate it when stuff spoils fast! I made banana pudding once and it turned brown, gooey and nasty by the next day, it was such a bummer. By the way, that jungle dip picture in the blender came out so cool looking–like a fluffy pillow!
Yes! My banana bread spoils really quickly but it’s like you said it doesn’t have a ton of sugar in it. I usually try to alter recipes when I see them I like to try new and fun things!
wow thats such an interesting recipe!! COOL BLENDER PIC
I love whole chickpeas better the hummus actually! Just my preference! I made really bannana-y muffins one time and they spoiled really fast. I try to follow recipes exactly, but usually end up tweaking them haha
I love how there’s so much science behind baking. I had no idea that sugar acts as a preservative, but I suppose it makes sense. I don’t do any sugar free baking, and I find that most of my stuff is okay for like a week? and a bit longer if I leave it in the fridge. That’s too bad about your dip, though
I hate it when stuff spoils. And I don’t mind whole chickpeas when they’re mixed with rice or quinoa, but my favorite way to eat them is definitely in hummus.
I love that green color, it is amazing!!! I love green foods, they just seem so healthy (even when they sometime´s aren´t and of course it the green colour doesn´t mean they are spoilt
Baking can really be a science, sometimes it reminds me of chemistry lessons. But still – the results are definitely more delicious than a sulfuric acid and such
I prefer chickpeas in hummus also!! I’m not a big fan of them in desserts either. You totally just reminded me that I need to get some PB flour!!
I admit I barely ever use recipes, most of the things I know how to cook/bake are learned from my mom and from her knowledge of what components go into making something in what order. I know we once made cookies where we put salt in place of sugar…and those turned out…well, I’m sure you can guess how they turned out
I like whole chickpeas- especially in Indian dishes like channa masala…or the Trader Joe’s cumin chili chickpeas, so delicious
Love this! I wish I could use xanthan gum in my dips & smoothies, but my stomach REALLY doesn’t like it.
have you ever tried roasting them? they make for a delicious crunchy snack!
I’m really bad at keeping track of which of my foods spoil faster than others…oops. As for recipes, there are very few that I ever follow to a T. I like my little tweaks! And chick peas? i’ll take them any way
WOAH! You have banana extract? That awesome! And yummmm the cookie dough smoothie looks fab
girlllllllllllll looks so so good!
and dude where did you get your 1. peanut flour and 2. banana extract?!
WOW that looks AMAZING!!! also.. chickpeas spoil really easily. I come from the land of hummus… you need to be careful! I made a chickpea cake last week and took it to a friend’s house in my cooler bag with ice packs!!
I’m definitely going to give this recipe a try- it looks not just yum but really beautiful too!
This dip looks awesome! I hate when recipes spoil quickly. I made guacamole and I know avocados are ok to eat when brown, but it just grosses me out!
I actually prefer chickpeas whole to houmous I even eat them straight out the can so creamy!! I rarely bake so don’t knwo much about things spoiling.
I love chickpeas whole, pureed, in baked goods, or in flour form. I just love chickpeas! I like the idea of your dip, even if it spoiled fast. Maybe you could just divide the recipe so that it makes a smaller portion so it doesn’t go to waste! My baked goods have never really spoiled… actually, the thing that spoils most in our house is hummus. I don’t know if you’ve ever had bad hummus, but it is FOUL!
Jungle cookie dough love it!
I always omit sugar most of the time in baked goods or reduce the amount. But I know that because of the low saturated fat content, will mean it needs to be consumed within 2 days.
Gahh I hate when stuff spoils too fast, so gross too
And I am lovin that cookie dough, what a color!
nothing of mine really spoils, but i don’t exactly cook that much–i use the same ingredients every day for all my meals–so boring of me lol…and jungle cookie dough, woahhhh
I don’t think I’ve ever had anything spoil that quickly! I like whole chickpeas on salads and stuff, but I prefer hummus
I love chickpeas in any way shape or form!!!
Aww I hate it when stuff spoils but I throw everything I make straight into the freezer in portions before it has chance!
I’ve found that in things like banana bread and stuff, adding a tsp of lemon stops it from spoiling so quickly..but the way to go is definitely freeze it and re-heat it when you want it 
Can’t give much advice on dips though!
And I love love chickpeas! Especially in hummus form…but the blondies I made recently were pretty amazing!!
And thankyou for the link lovely!!
I definitely need to remember this post… I have a tenancy to change recipes a lot and sometimes, I pay for it
It looked sooo good! I refrigerated almost all my baked goods because otherwise they have a hard time lasting a day or two. I made these muffins once and then the next day, they were slimy inside. It gives me shivers just thinking about it.
Aw sorry your dip spoiled
I love chickpeas in any form! In hummus, in salads, by the handful…
<3 <3
That’s so interesting because every time I make zucchini or banana bread, unless I freeze it, it goes bad much faster than normal breads.
Chickpeas by themselves are no bueno for my tastebuds, but I love roasting them in cayenne pepper or other spices. Hummus tops all though!
very interesting!! those little jars look too cute.
have a great weekend!
Sam @ fitness food & faith
Can you taste the chickpeas in this? I’ve made Chocolate-Covered Katie’s deep dish cookie pie, which was amazing, but I did not like the dough.
Yup, you can taste the chickpeas in it. I’ve got to try her deep dish cookie pie still!
I hate it when things spoil, especially when the ingredients were expensive or I put a lot of work into it. That dip sounds pretty awesome though!
I hate when stuff spoils too quickly. I actually just went downstairs to make a smoothie and my banana had gone bad. what the heck
This was really interesting. Thank you for sharing the info! I hate when things spoil
I am a fan of chickpeas in salads! And in anything, really 
This looks delicious!!
that looks awesome! I love all things green and creeeeamy so I’m sure this would be hit!
This is a fab post! I love the blender pic – so creamy! And the shadow pic is very cool too. I know what you mean about things spoiling….healthifying things often means you have to gobble them up quick! Or buy a big freezer!
I made some mini muffins a while back. Vegan and fruity….i had to throw some out because they went off in a few days.