# Gramma always used to say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. 
I know that's true for me! You can win me over any day for anything if food's involved... take me out to dinner, I'll be your girlfriend... cook for me, I'll move in immediately 😉 Anyways...  my stomach aside, how's yours? Hungry yet? You will be in a minute!
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![cake 13.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520856427/vcgp9llz9djwrzxdjx7o.jpg)

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As some of you may already know (*since I won't shut up about it*) 😉 my **not-so-vegan** father was visiting me a couple of weeks ago. 

(*I have intense daddy issues OKAY,*) so I was terrified to cook for him and avoided it like Frogger jumping through oncoming traffic. 

When he first got to the other side of the Earth to meet me, we were traveling together so we were eating out and I'd get my thing, he'd get his, no problem! It made sense because we were staying in hotels and there was nowhere to cook but when we got back to my house, we kept up the trend because... well, **I was being a coward!** 

Instead of boasting my skills in the kitchen and converting him over to my ways 😉 I was showing him all of my favorite vegan restaurants in town, letting the chefs of the area influence him *ever-so-slowly.* 

We had a break where I went to Maldives and he went to Thailand and when we met back up, we both wanted to save money and start eating in but I wouldn't let him bring meat into the house so it meant I needed to step up to the plate and be a big girl.

**Damn it, the pressure was on!**

Suddenly, we were at my house and he put his Italian chef coat down and I was the one putting the dishes on the table. 

Well, my pop’s a hard critic and he LOVES certain items *cough, dairy, cough* that are not part of my recipe repertoire so, I had to step my game up to prove to him that life exists beyond the confines of traditional ingredients. 

**Everything was going better than I ever could have imagined! He loved my food!**😍

I got excited and wanted to show him what I was really made of but something happened to the clock and all of a sudden his time was up and he was about to go back home. I knew I had to send him off with something he'd remember!

**Before you go poppa, you have to try this (so you'll come visit me again soon!)**😍
![twirly.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520857673/kqg3rlodcy05ncrfjpdy.png)
## <center> Creamy Peanut Butter Caramel Brownie Bites </center> 
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![cake 15.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520857651/u5s9eebwi3fjabnotxx5.jpg)

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### What You Need: 
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**Brownie**
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![cake 1.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520857796/aw8huzxwtdhnslxzwyfv.jpg)

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+ 1 cup pecans 
+ ½ cup pitted dates 
+ 1/3 cup hemp hearts 
+ ¼ cup cacao powder 
+ Small piece of vanilla bean 
+ 1 tsp sea salt 
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**Caramel**
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![cake 5.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520857823/a1uabhcrfjj3lojkcti5.jpg)

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 (*The coconut milk got confused and landed itself in this picture but it's for the next part so don't add it here!*)
+ ½ cup peanut butter 
+ ½ cup dates
+ 1/8 maple syrup
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**Cream**
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![cake 8.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520857839/ldu7ucw4q1swcfxgkvib.jpg)

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+ 2 cups coconut milk 
+ 2 tbs chia seeds 
+ 1/8 cup maple syrup 
+ ½ cup peanut butter 
+ 1 tsp sea salt 
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## What to do: 
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![cake 2.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520857858/mradudoshxbp0ibf2wth.jpg)

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**Brownie**
+ Pulse pecans, hemp hearts, dates, cacao powder, vanilla bean (*or extract*) and salt together in a food processor or high speed blender until it all sticks together forming a thick dough like consistency. 
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![cake 3.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520857903/x63wqqpxmbkcoxfqltjm.jpg)

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+ Press the mixture into an oiled container and put in the freezer to set. 
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![cake 4.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520857882/pvawrirw6bij5khanxlw.jpg)

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**Caramel**
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![cake 6.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520857954/hr0xzbtdtondz4yee099.jpg)

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+ Pulse peanut butter (*or nut butter of choice*), dates and maple syrup together to get a pasty mixture! Add some vanilla here if you’d like! 
+ Gently press the caramel on top of the base layer and put the container in the freezer to set together.
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![cake 7.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520857983/twsrhverxkqcbwo7g69h.jpg)

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**Cream**
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![cake 9.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520858003/ulsw4blbuztoaqybtmhm.jpg)

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+ Add chia seeds to the coconut milk and blend until you get a thickened batter.
+ Blend coconut milk mix, peanut butter, maple syrup, and salt together and pour on top of the base. 
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![cake 11.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520858027/nrqvh7abanvm5n4ucco4.jpg)

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+ Decorate with maple syrup and chia if you want to dress it up and put in the freezer to set (*about half an hour to an hour!*)
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![cake 12.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520858045/xw8i7rswq7cc5ddzrwr0.jpg)

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+ Cut into pieces of heaven and enjoy! 
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![cake 14.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520859227/mhabyriix6bjlt6cu5b6.jpg)

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### <center> Did he like it? </center>
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![dad cake.gif](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520858275/rqulsjzstuk3uvq926w7.gif)
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**I'd say so, wouldn't you?!**

Success! 😉

I actually got a little message from the poppa back home telling me about his change in eating habits and his plans to try to move into my house permanently haha **I think I caught him ya'll** 😉

Hope you like this one! I'd love to hook, line and sinker you too! 😍
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![heart thing.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520776563/zo2iecmlij8dudnykugr.png)
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I truly believe we can heal ourselves through food and it is my mission in life to create and inspire delicious, mouth watering creations that are beneficial and packed full of plant based goodies to fuel our bodies, minds and lives!
Just a friendly reminder to all that I am hosting a very vegan contest [click here](https://steemit.com/veganwednesday/@heart-to-heart/week-11-winners-week-12-starts-now-veganwednesday) to see the post explaining how to get involved! Anyone can enter and anyone can win as long as you follow the rules! 💖

Until next time!

**Sending you love through food,**

While you're here, check out some of my recent plant-based, love-filled recipes!
[4 Game Changing Veggie Burgers That 'Bleed'!](https://steemit.com/vegan/@heart-to-heart/4-game-changing-veggie-burgers-that-bleed-and-taste-like-real-meat)
[Pumpkin Spiced Lattes!](https://steemit.com/food/@heart-to-heart/super-easy-good-4-u-pumpkin-spiced-lattes-vegan-no-processed-sugar)
[10 Minute Vegan Pepper Jack Cheese](https://steemit.com/food/@heart-to-heart/put-this-on-everything-easy-2-step-10-min-vegan-pepperjack)
[Rainbow Antioxidant Smoothie](https://steemit.com/food/@heart-to-heart/rejuvenate-and-cleanse-your-body-with-this-antioxidant-smoothie)
[Mocha Chocolate Cheesecake for Breakfast!](https://steemit.com/vegan/@heart-to-heart/life-hack-dessert-for-breakfast-vegan-gf)
[Lucky Leprechaun Mint Choco Nice Cream Bites](https://steemit.com/vegan/@heart-to-heart/the-epic-forgotten-recipe-lucky-leprechaun-mint-choco-nice-cream-bites)
[Delicious Vegan Cheese Spread](https://steemit.com/vegan/@heart-to-heart/easy-af-vegan-cheese-spread)

XO,
![hearttoheart signature.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520002085/npdviaxj5c33kyzuhuuh.png)
![me sign off.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520002141/qwvb38ojuglvzioweuxb.jpg)
![signature_1.gif](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1520083883/vfgoxmqddswme3emmuqm.gif)

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