Reindeer Poop: vegan and GF cookie dough bites

This has been my super quick go to recipe for the holiday season since I came up with it; the great thing about this is it's something you can do all year round, vegan and gluten free friends can enjoy them, and they're so good no one can resist them. They're kinda like reese's peanut butter cups in cookie dough form. I found this lovely recipe over on momables but ended up tweaking it so much I think it qualifies as a different recipe. Here's the lowdown of what I did, but if you're feeling creative let me know what changes you made in the comments! I couldn't think of a better name for it but I think it's cute, no?

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup crushed almonds
• 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup to bind

Directions

1. Mix ingredients in a in a bowl with a fork until it resembles cookie dough. if it doesn't stick together, add more syrup. If it's too sticky, add a bit more flour.
2. roll into one inch balls (about a teaspoon of dough)
3. chill in the fridge for about an hour
4. enjoy!

this recipe makes about a dozen balls. I've made this recipe once with regular flour and once with coconut. Both times it came out great! If you would like it to look marbled like the photo, add the cocoa powder after everything else has been mixed. 

Other substitute ideas: almond butter, whole wheat flour, nutella, agave nectar, walnuts, peanuts, gosh the possibilites are endless...

Emotimugs in progress!

Here's a few of the mugs I've made this semester! I'm not sure if you can possibly know the relief I have that the wet clay deadline has passed. For the university that I'm in, it basically means that all projects (ALL OF THEM) must be completed (DONE FINISHED FINITO) by this day so that it has enough time to go through the kilns. It's a high pressure situation, ya'll. It feels like my semester is already over!

I was able to make a about a dozen extra emotimugs, which are all thrown on the pottery wheel, trimmed, hand sculpted faces, and pulled handles (not seen because they're on the opposite side of the cups). The majority of them have gone through the kiln by now and are waiting to be glazed pretty colors. I know a few people saw my original set of five so I'm hoping they'll be popular at the pottery sale. Whatever doesn't sell will surely be up on my etsy; saving up for NCECA :)

Pearl River Mart Haul!

Alt Groove links 10.15.13

Image via

• Hare Affairs is an art series of bunnies in different social, political, and cultural issues. Definitely check out his work! He's one of my inspirations for my own artwork.
• In case you haven't heard already, Banksy sold some stuff on the streets of NYC for $60 a piece. I wish I was able to buy one T_T
• What drink changes with the environment? Whiskey does!

ALT Groove Links 10.8 - 10.10

• Featured Janelle Monáe's latest album, Electric Lady! 
• Bertolli takes advantage of Barilla's anti-gay comments by making a pro gay ad. 
• Lady Gaga reveals the cover of her new album Artpop which is a sculpture of her done by the amazing Jeff Koons! This was actually referenced in the lyrics of her single "Applause." Sneaky.
• Yale has a poopetrator on the loose. Someone is putting poop in the dryers and this is hilarious.
• Go Purple for GLAAD's Spirit Day! Support the LGBTQ community. 
• Indiana dog crashes a half marathon and gets a medal! And then he gets a microchip so the owner can find him when he runs off...
• Here's a nifty infographic of everyone the US government owes and how much we owe them.
• OMG this lego installation of freaking HELMS DEEP is SICK. Here's the flickr set.

~*You can catch Alt Groove live every Tuesday and Thursday this semester around 8am to 9am EST on WSIN Radio. All announcements for the show and playlists are on my facebook page. *~