Sometimes things just go together. Peanut butter and jelly, chocolate and bananas, mornings and coffee…but all pairs need to be discovered by experimenting.
1. Multigrain chips and chocolate chips – As if chocolate could go wrong. I found that the salty chip and the sweet chocolate were harmonious in a way that only salty/sweet can be.
2. French press coffee and citrus peels – One of my favorite customers at work (Hi Drew!) told me to put a citrus peel of some kind in with my coffee. I took it up a notch and chose a specific coffee (Starbucks Kenya) because this coffee already has citrus notes, and I tossed in an orange peel. The citrus flavor was taken from an 8 to an 11. It was awesome.
3. Peanut butter Clif bar and almond butter/cinnamon – Ever slathered your PB energy bar of sorts with more nut butter? It’s mind blowing. Better yet, warm it up in the oven.
4. Frozen and fresh – I have a confession…I buy frozen waffles because I am too lazy to buy myself a waffle maker! I try to make myself feel fancy by jazzing them up.
5. Mexican spices and chocolate – OK so this isn’t uncommon, but this Mexican spice espresso cupcake rocked my face so hard. Obviously paired with coffee…
6. Pink boxes and sugar – I don’t know who decided that good things come in pink boxes, but they were right. First VooDoo, now Bearded Lady Food Co…I ran 7 miles, walked 3 more, and drove 2 hours round trip JUST for these…happy Easter to me.
For the record I shared these…except for bottom right. That was all me.
Speaking of Bearded Lady, I am currently (aka always) obsessed with all things cupcake. They make the best vegan/GF treats I have ever had. I blogged about them once upon a time, but recently revamped my love for them. Cupcakes the size of my palm? Hell yes.
I want to live under their kitchen table…troll style.
Q: What pairings do you love that aren’t very common?
43 thoughts on “Uncommonly Delicious Pairings”
Food, Booze, & Baggage
I can’t wait to tell the husband the about the orange peel in the coffee. Sounds interesting and I’ve never heard of that before! I love the salty and sweet combo!!!
Britta
You honestly just make me want to eat cupcakes, all the time!!!! So good. I love the orange peel/coffee idea – um, genius!! I don’t know how I feel about the chocolate and chips BUT I am willing to try everything once! I have a feeling it will be delicious. Kind of like popcorn and chocolate. I am trying to think of a weird combo that I make sometimes but I feel like that hasn’t happened much lately.. BOO. My brother used to be obsessed with spreading nutella on his toast and topping it off with deli meat.. what the???? Vomit. 😀
Brittany
You know how I feel about your brothers combo…I have no words.
pickyrunner
I love that you have the same love for cupcakes as me. You may even eat them more than me, which is why we’re friends 😉 I haven’t had waffles in SO long. Gah I miss them.
Hannah
1. I’m putting an orange peel in my next pot of coffee. It sounds incredible!
2. Get a waffle iron!
3. HAVE YOU SEEN THESE?? http://www.jivacubes.com/ – Vegan – Gluten Free – Non-GMO – Fair trade coffee cubes. Yes, it’s instant coffee (shudder) but they supposedly taste great and I am beyond intrigued.
Brittany
I’ve never heard of those coffee cubes, but they are totally intriguing!
Tubontherun
My husband thinks I am completely weird, and wonders why he married me, when I put peanut butter in my porridge. Or with my Nutella on toast. The boy just doesn’t get peanut butter… Weirdo.
Megan
I scrolled through this quickly because you had me at chocolate and chip. I want chocolate nowwwww.
sincerelylily
ahhhhhhhh this all looks good. I would have NEVER thought of the orange peel in the coffee and now I’m curious…… if you live under the table troll style, I shall join you there. Your cupcake looks divine…… now I want something with pink sprinkles and chocolate. I think I might need a fro yo this weekend!!!
Lauren @ ihadabiglunch
Going along with your sweet/salty combo, in high school I used to top pringles with peanut butter and kissables (m&m-like hersey kisses that I don’t think they even make anymore haha). I grew up into an even bigger salty/sweet lover because I combine the two all the time…the best is when there’s jam on egg sandwiches or served with a cheese plate. GAH yum
Brittany
I love the sound of your ridiculously naughty Pringle/PB/Kissable combo. It scares me, but intrigues me all at the same time.
katalysthealth
These pairings aren’t common?! Because I’m in love with all of them! Especially the orange peel and coffee. Holy freaking yum. I made a coffee smoothie with orange extract the other day…. just about put me through the roof with joy. I’ll be blogging that crap right quick don’t you worry 😉 Ive never thought about the chocolate and chips combo, but it makes complete sense. I mean I do pretzels and chocolate, so why wouldn’t I think of a freaking tortilla chip!
cleaneatingveggiegirl
Chips and chocolate?? Oh, heck yes! I love the sweet and salty combo so that sounds glorious!
di @ life of di.
I saw the chip + chocolate picture on Instagram and was intrigued. I can’t say I’d ever have combined the two but now I’m wanting to dig in 🙂 Also, I love the idea of throwing an orange peel in your coffee. That sounds delicious! And I buy frozen waffles too – though I do want a waffle maker!!
PS – OH MY GOSH THOSE DOUGHNUTS!!!
Amy
I’m the biggest fan of spicy dark chocolate!! For a while, I tried a different brand of chili-spiced dark chocolate bars every time I went to the store. I can’t remember which one I liked the best because that was, umm, 3-4 years ago, but still. SO good. I even have a recipe for Mexican-Spiced Chocolate Chip Cookies in my eCookbook. You definitely need a glass of milk with those bad boys — they’re so hot! 😛
Matt @ Runner Savvy
Love this! Nut butter on nut butter… 🙂
ahellams
You are a food genius!!
And I love you so I nominated you for a Liebster cause you rock my socks off!
http://runs4treats.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/liebster-award-2/
Brittany
You da bestttttt.
P
I don’t think the tortilla chip + chocolate chip combo is strange at all! Two foods with the word ‘chip’ in their title never matched so perfectly 🙂
PJ Sassifras
Ohh! I’m doing the orange peel in coffee. I wish I could un-see/un-know about the Cliff bar. I need to get on my bike for many moons before I can try that. I’m shaking my head in agreement with everything else you posted.
I recently discovered blackberries, almond butter and cinnamon. Can I get a YUM?
Brittany
You can get a HELL YUM!
Amanda @ .running with spoons.
Wait, wait… citrus peels in coffee?!?! I’m SO trying that the next time I whip up a brew at home — genius! And I seriously would have never thought to pair tortilla chips with chocolate, although I’ve done pretzels and chocolate so that kind of makes me cool, right? 😀
Khushboo Thadani (@KhushbooThadani)
Mmmmm yum! You have me intrigued at citrus peels- definitely not a combo I would’ve considered but it sounds similar to chocolate & citrus which I am all over. Lately I can’t get enough of avocado & hummus paired together…double creaminess for the win :)!
Kelsey
I honestly bookmarked this so I can come back and try some of these…they sound pretty darn good. And I’ll have to mention the citrus to my boyfriend so we can try it soon! I can’t have dairy (it just equals bad stomachaches…), so I had been missing yogurt + granola. My simple combo to make up for it? GF KIND granola (maple quinoa) with applesauce!
Brittany
GIRRRLLL get yourself some dairy free yogurt STAT!! There are MULTIPLE options and they are DELICIOUS!
Heather @ HeatherRunsFast.com
This post just screams to me Jet City Espresso, here in Tampa. It’s a cute little coffee shop in an old bungalow. They offer the most delicious GF treats and coffee concoctions. My fave drink is the Borgia- a tsp of honey, orange extract, nutmeg, steamed milk, orange peel and espresso! Try it. SO good. Odd flave combo- their lavender, goat cheese and chocolate GF cookies! This place totally reminds me of you, so when you come to Tampa to visit, I’ll take you there 🙂
Brittany
YOU MUST TAKE ME!
jessiebearwhat
Why are spices and choc SO good?! I put cayenne pepper and chocolate on my butternut squash yesterday- outrageously good. Also HOW HAVE I NEVER PAIRED CHOCOLATE AND CHIPS?!?!?1
Melanie
Chocolate and chips!? I would have never thought of that combo, but it looks great! Chocolate makes everything better. Your treats all look AMAZING too!!!!
Amalia
I’m going to have to try the orange peel in the coffee. I’m trying to eliminate sugar (gulp) so I could use all the flavour I can get. Also, Britt, have you ever tried Kicking Horse coffee? If not, I need to send you a bag of this fair trade organicness STAT.
Brittany
I don’t add sugar to my coffee, I drink it black, but I am trying to cut out sugar for a couple weeks from treats. GOD IT’S SO HARD! I have never even heard of that coffee, sounds AMAZING!
Amalia
I emailed you. I have to get a bag of this coffee into your hands. Anybody who loves organic and free trade coffee as much as you should never go without this coffee. Its all I drink at home!
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
I’m loving the idea of adding citrus peels to your coffee. Genius; go Drew!
Unusual combos…I just paired Ramp Pesto with mashed potatoes. Does that count? Another one: I just ate the last of my Mexican veggie burrito from dinner last night with a side of overdone Parmesan Roasted Sweet Potatoes. The overdone part was purely accidental of course.
apartmentwife
the picture of the cupcake the size of your palm is so happy – i want that printed and pasted on my treadmill as a reminder of why i run 🙂 and you’re not the only one too lazy to buy a waffle maker – so be it, right? maybe one day…
Change of Pace
So great you drove just for the cupcakes and sweets!
Have you ever cleaned a waffle maker?! Not easy- I say stick with frozen!
Davida @The Healthy Maven
the citrus peel is genius! I always add cinnamon and nutmeg to my coffee!
Life After Swimming
Totally need to try the chocolate/chip combo. Sweet and salty for the win!
brickhousechick
YUM! All of it looks perfectly paired. I love anything salty and chocolaty like sea salted dark chocolate caramels!!
jessielovestorun
Note to self: Never read Brittany’s page first thing in the morning… especially on days when she posts photos of delicious looking cupcakes!
I love carrots & sunbutter!!
allieksmith
I love your love of cupcakes (and coffee!). I think the coffee + citrus is a great idea and the chocolate chips + chips… genius!
Rach @ This Italian Family
Citrus peels with your French press?! Brilliant idea! I’ll pass that on to Christopher!
The Vegan 8
Omg I love chips, crackers with chocolate chips. Particularly pretzels and chocolate chips. SO good. I love the idea of the citrus in your coffee….awesome!!! And you and these cupcake photos kill me everyt ime!
Miachel | spiced curiosity
Ooh, fun! 🙂 One of my favorite funky pairings is balsamic vinegar + avocado. They’re sublime!
Now I’ll def have to try citrus peel + coffee and Clif bar + cinnamon, Yum!