Peanut-Butter Cream-Cheese Brownies (Lactose Free)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup peanut butter

4oz Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup of Best Life buttery spread softened (NOT melted)

3 tablespoons Lactaid or Soy milk

2 eggs

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup baking cocoa

2 tablespoons oil 

Liquid Chocolate (see below for recipe)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a square pan, or cupcake pan, set aside. Mix peanut butter and softened cream cheese in small bowl until well blended; set aside.

2. Mix sugars, butter, milk, oil and eggs in medium bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Divide the batter in half and separate into two different bowls. Stir the peanut butter/cream cheese mixture into 1 half. Stir liquid chocolate and cocoa in the other half.

4. Spoon batter into pan as follows:

Square pan: Spoon chocolate batter into pan in 8 mounds, checkerboard style. Spoon peanut butter batter between mounds of chocolate. Gently swirl through batters with a knife for marbled design.

Cupcake pan: Spoon chocolate batter into cups, filling about half. Spoon peanut butter on top filling the other half. Use knife to swirl for marbled design. You can fill to top of cupcake cup, they won’t rise too much.

5. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Enjoy!!

Liquid Chocolate Recipe:

3 tablespoons of Cocoa Powder

1-3 tablespoons Oil (Vegetable or Canola works best)

Put cocoa in bowl, and add oil 1 tablespoon at a time, stir until smooth.  (You may only need 1 tablespoon.)  Set aside. 

Lactose Free Mac N' Cheese

Before I was diagnosed as Lactose Free, I LOVED Kraft* Macaroni and Cheese.  It was such a nice comfort food on rainy days or cold winter nights.  I've been wanting to make my own for a while, but I haven't been able to find any fake cheese.  Until one day when I was at my local grocery store shopping for taco ingredients, I came across this fine specimen! 

I was SO excited, I immediately purchased it and tried it on my tacos.  It tastes soo delicious!  Warning though, it does smell really weird, and the texture is a bit off, but it tastes like cheese to me, and that's all that matters. So, after investigating the internet I found a few recipes that used this "cheese" for homemade mac n' cheese.  I made a few adjustments, and made the recipe my own, and I have to say that It tastes pretty good! 

Just a warning to those with actual milk allergies, these Veggie Shreds, contain casein, a milk protein; if you want this to be completely dairy-free you'll need to use a vegan brand.  I'm pretty sure this company makes some vegan cheeses, but I'm not 100% positive.  I'm severely lactose intolerant, but this doesn't bother me one bit.  

Ingredients:
Yields: 3-4 Servings 


8 ounces macaroni (or another pasta of your choice) 
2 tablespoons Best Life buttery spread (or soy/vegan butter for milk free)
2 tablespoons flour 
1 cup Lactaid Milk or Soy Milk 
4 -8 ounces soy cheddar cheese (I recommend Veggie Shreds from Galaxy Foods) 
additional "milk" 
salt & pepper (optional) 

Directions:

1. Cook macaroni in boiling water, according to package directions. 
2. While the pasta is boiling, completely melt margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. 
3 Add flour until bubbly. 
4 Slowly add 1 cup soy milk while stirring. 
5 Bring to a boil, stirring constantly (a whisk works well). 
6 If the sauce does not thicken, add another Tbsp of flour. 
7 If using cheese that is not already shredded, grate cheese. 
8 Add slowly, stirring until the sauce thickens and you get the consistency you desire. 
9 I recommend using the full 8 oz of cheese!  I used even a bit more, I love it real cheesy. 
10 Add more soy milk if mixture gets too thick while stirring in the cheese. 
11 Add salt and pepper, if desired. 
12 Drain cooked pasta and mix in cheese sauce. 
13 Enjoy! 

*I nor this blog, is affiliated, sponsored or endorsed by Kraft Foods in any way.