Chocolate Monkey Cookie Bars -- delicious vegan, gluten free, and nut free banana and chocolate treats

There's no such thing as a bad banana in this house. My fellas both love eating them, but if they ever hang around too long, they can fulfill their destiny as delicious cookie bars.

These are nutritionally dense, full only of high octane fuel. I like to throw a couple of these in my son's lunch box because with all the excellent ingredients, I know they'll help him power through the day at school. Additionally, they taste great, so he looks forward to them.

equipment needed:

oven
2 8x8 square baking dishes -- (I like silicone but if you don't use silicone, make sure you prepare it well so the batter doesn't stick)
mixing bowl
mixing spoon
seed grinder for chia or buy already ground
measuring cups
measuring spoons


ingredients:

a)
2 cups mashed overripe banana
1/2 cup date sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

b)
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp ground tonka bean (optional!)
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt

c)
1/4 cup raw cacao
1/4 cup tapioca starch or green banana flour
1/4 cup ground chia

d)
2 cups shredded coconut

e)
1 cup fair trade chocolate chips


directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345
2. combine the ingredients from part a) -- you may want to use a whisk
3. whisk in the ingredients from part b)
4. whisk in the ingredients from part c)
5. stir in the shredded coconut
6 stir in the chocolate chips
7. divide evenly between prepared 2 square pans (or use a big rectangle one!)
8. bake at 345 for 45 minutes or until they are done
9. score into bars while they are in the pan, allow to cool, and then remove.
10. Store in an airtight container in the fridge

Double Chocolate Muffins -- gluten free, vegan, and awesome

I whipped these up on the spur of the moment when my husband and son needed a quick lunch to take with them.

The goal was to make these as nutritionally dense a possible, and super yummy.

These ticked all the boxes.

I combine black bean flour, cacao, shredded coconut,  tapioca flour, and oat bran. These may not be traditional flours, but each one brings something excellent to the flavour, texture, and nutritional punch of these muffins. Because they are wheat and gluten free, as well as nut free, they are a pretty safe bet for an on-the-go snack.

Bonus: they mixed up in just a few minutes, so they were into and out of the oven in a hurry.

equipment needed:

mixing bowl
mixing spoon
measuring cups
measuring spoons
muffin tray or silicone muffin cups and baking sheet
oven


ingredients:

a)
1/4 cup black bean flour
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/2 cup tapioca flour
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup oat bran

b)
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp tonka bean powder (Optional)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

c)
1/4 cup avocado oil
1 cup water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

d)
1/2 cup chocolate chips


directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the ingredients from a) and b) in a bowl, and mix really well.
2. add the ingredients from c) and combine. I like to use a whisk!
3. stir in the chocolate chips (d)
4. scoop the batter into 12 muffin cups
5. bake at 345 for 35 minutes
6. cool and remove from tray/cups
7. store in the fridge in an airtight container

easy peasy chocolate chocolate chip muffins *

The virtue of these muffins is that they mix up really quickly, and bake in 30 minutes. Sometimes I'm game for elaborate play in the kitchen, but much of the time I want to get in and get out, because there are too many other things that also need doing. So, yesterday, to that end, I devised some lovely little muffins that mix up quick and bake up nicely.

The fellas very enthusiastically gave these top marks, but they are both a big fan of the darker chocolates in life's beautiful cornucopia of chocolate.

equipment needed:
mixing bowl
mixing spoon/whisk
measuring cups
measuring spoon
muffin cups (I like the silicone ones)
muffin tray (if using paper liners) or baking sheet
oven


ingredients:

a)
1 1/2 cup kamut flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 cup shredded coconut

b)
1/2 cup cacao
1 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup date sugar

c)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp tonka bean powder or 1 tsp vanilla extract

d)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 cup hot water
1 cup cold water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar


e)1 cup fair trade chocolate chips



directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the coconut oil and warm water from d) and set aside until fully melted
2. mix together the items from a) b) and c) until very well combined
3. mix together the cold water and apple cider vinegar, then add all the ingredients from part d) to the dry ingredients.
4. whisk or stir well
5. mix in the chocolate chips
6. scoop into 24 muffin cups
7. bake at 345 for 30 minutes

Chocolate Cream Eggs -- vegan, unrefined, and utterly delicious

I remember eating a Cadbury cream egg as a kid. Man those things are sweet. I always liked the idea more than I liked the reality. Too sweet, no flavour. These ones, dear friends, taste really good. The centre is a creamy, smooth concoction that includes maple and cashew cream. The outer shell is a organic, fair-trade dark chocolate. I used a 71% chocolate made by cacao berry. This one melts beautifully. Some chocolates with higher cocoa content may not melt to a liquid state, making them harder to work with. Use a double boiler!! Use a double boiler use a double boiler use a double boiler.

The combination of the dark chocolate flavour with the maple cashew is just right. It's more sweetness than I can handle often, but really amazing. And certainly a much more body-friendly and environmentally sound option than the commercial preparation.


My fellahs and family all enjoyed very much.

I got little silicone moulds, and made half eggs. I made a few whole eggs, but that's really more cream egg than I really liked. Hard to use. Too big around. Too much commitment. The half eggs were perfect.

equipment needed:

double boiler

food processor

moulds for egg shape

mixing bowl

mixing spoons

measuring cups

measuring spoons

ingredients:

a) fair-trade organic dark chocolate, like cacao berry. Did you know that a lot of chocolate is harvested using slaves and slave-children. True story. Go for fair-trade, friends.

b)

1 cup raw cashews -- soaked for a few hours in filtered water with a little sea salt and then rinsed

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 tbsp agave (or honey if you're not vegan)

4 tbsp coconut ol

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp sea salt

c)

turmeric

directions:

put your mould in the freezer to pre-chill

1. in a food processor, combine the ingredients in b)

2. pulse until chopped up, then  process until as smooth as possible. The smoother the better!!

3. set a little of the mixture aside to combine with enough turmeric to make your 'yolk' colour.

4. chill the filling -- it will firm up and be easier to work with, imho

5. in a double boiler, melt your chocolate. I used about 2 cups total chocolate for these eggs, and had a little of the cashew cream mixture left over but was tired of making eggs by that point so ....

6. I painted the moulds using a silicone pastry brush, but some people spoon it in. Let it chill a few seconds, and then sluice the chocolate around the moulds. Practice until you find a technique that works for you!

7. When the chocolates thick enough, scoop a little white and a little yolk colour inside.

8. spoon a little melted chocolate over top of the filling to close it. Pop it in the freezer to firm up.

9. Gently remove from the moulds.

10. I kept them refrigerated.

11. The cashew cream filling will be quite soft and creamy at room temperature, and a little more firm when chilled. You can see which way you like them best.

Chocolate Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Soft Cookies

What happens when you throw a bunch of stuff together in a bowl? Well, sometimes something like this: soft, vegan, oatmeal chocolate cookies with chocolate chips. You had me at cookie.

equipment needed:
baking sheets
silicone baking mats or parchment
mixing bowl
mixing spoon
measuring cups
measuring spoons
seed grinder


ingredients:

a)
2 cups scotch oatmeal
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup date sugar

b)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar

c)
2 cups water

d)
1 cup chocolate chips


directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1.  combine ingredients from a) and b) in a large mixing bowl
2. mix well
3. add c) and mix very well
4. finally stir in part d) and mix well
5. scoop by small spoonful onto a lined baking sheet
6. bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 345
7. makes approx 4 dozen small cookies

Chocolate Ganache Decadence -- raw, vegan, and gluten free

This ... cake ... pie? ... cake! ... happened. Why? I don't know, but I'm sure glad it did. It is ... ridiculous. That's the only word I can think of.  It's so incredibly delicious, so smooth, so silky, so creamy, so mind-numbingly filled with flavour and awesomeness that all we could do was stare at each other with this incredible taste in our mouths as we ate it, expressions bordering that fine line between bafflement and pain. That "how the ... what the ... omg ... this ... this ... this ..." expression. You'd know it if you saw it. Trust me.

It's an indulgence. It's a special occasion kind of treat. It's so tasty. It's also incredibly easy to make.

I made it a couple of hours before I needed it. In a spring form pan. Lined with foil and then baking parchment and oiled with coconut oil. Made removal easy! Might have been over kill. Any pie plate would also work. Parchment is your frieeeeeeeeeend. Next time I will make it at least 1 day ahead, if not two. The texture and flavour of the crust improved by day 2, although it was fine on day one, and chilling over night allowed the cake/pie/decadence to firm up just a wee bit more. So. Good. So flipping good. Gah.

note: you'll need to let the dates soak and the oil and cocoa butter melt, so if you get those started and then move on to your crust, that would work well.


equipment needed:
pie plate or spring form pan
grinder for chia seeds and sunflower seeds (If you use sunflower seeds instead of raw almond meal for your crust)
parchment
foil (if using a spring form pan. Not essential. But you know, um, helpful.)
immersion blender (or blender)


ganache ingredients:

A
1 cup pitted dates (I use parnoosh sayer dates but you can use your own preference) (pick through them carefully to make sure there are indeed no pits or shards there of.)
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup raw cacao butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

B
1 cup raw cacao
1 cup coconut sugar (you can start with less and taste if you want it to be less sweet)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup organic coconut milk powder


ganache directions:

1. combine the items from A in a bowl and let sit until the cacao butter and coconut oil have melted. This will also give the dates time to soften beautifully.
2. while your oil is melting and your dates are softening, make the crust
3. once the oil has melted, use your immersion blender to puree the dates/oil/water from section A. When you think it is smooth enough, puree some more. And then a little longer. You want this ganache to be so creamy and silky and smooth that dead poets would come back from the grave to write an ode to it.
4. add the ingredient from part B and puree again until even silkier and more perfect
5. If you are being parsimonious with your coconut sugar, this would be a good time to dip a scrupulously clean spoon into the mix and taste. I personally thought it was perfect with the whole cup of coconut sugar to balance the whole cup of cacao. That's the golden ratio for cacao and sweetness. However, your dates may be sweeter than mine, or your cacao less dark and sinister. Don't be afraid to trust yourself!
6. When you know your ganache tastes just right, let it cool to room temperature.





crust ingredients:
1 cup raw almond meal or raw sunflower seed meal
1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut sugar, depends on your tongue
1/4 cup raw cacao
1/4 cup ground chia
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean
2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
2 tbsp water

crust directions:
1. combine the almond or sunflower seed meal in a bowl with the coconut sugar, cacao, chia, sea salt, vanilla bean
2. add the coconut oil and use a fork to crush it into the dry mixture to the best of your abilities
3. add the water, and distribute beautifully
4. press the mixture into the bottom of your lined/greased springform pan or pie plate

5. see above
6. do a little dance

7. When  your ganache has cooled enough, pour it into the prepared crust in the prepared pan, and pop it in the fridge.
8. When it has chilled enough, you can remove it from the pan (springform) or serve it from the pan if it's a pie plate.

Prepare to be amazed!!!!

Brownies -- the best in the world

It feels like time to revisit this brownie recipe. These brownies will make brownie-lovers weep with gluttonous euphoria. These brownies will tempt the pickiest of dessert eaters. These brownies .... okay, well, they won't save the environment or even the economy, but damn they are so good.

And they are cruelty free. Vegan and fair-trade. I would urge you to be careful and picky in your chocolate selections. The vast lion's share of chocolate sold here is produced using child slave-labour. Always look for fair trade for your cacao.

So, these are moist and rich, chewy and cakey all at once. These are the perfect symbiosis of decadence and apotheosis. Dazzling, tantalizing, and very close to perfection.

The amazing thing, friends, is that they are also real food. And can be made with either almond flour or sunflower seed flour, depending on your nut-free needs.

So go ahead, make yourself something so naughty that it's just simply nice.

equipment needed:

hand blender -- aka immersion blender

seed grinder

mixing bowls

mixing spoons

measuring cups

measuring spoons

kettle for boiling water

oven

2 square silicone baking pans (8x8 each)

cooling rack

wet ingredients:

1 1/2  cup pitted honey dates

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil 

1 cup coconut nectar

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1  tbsp vanilla extract 

1/2 cup ground hemp hearts -- should practically be a paste

dry ingredients:

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/4 cup chia seeds, finely ground

1 cup sunflower seed flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1 tbsp ground vanilla 

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup raw cacao powder

coconut sugar to sprinkle on top -- use plenty, it's awesome that way.

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. pour the hot water over dates in a bowl, and let sit for about 10 minutes to soften, along with the coconut oil, so it can  melt

2. in a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients save for the coconut sugar for sprinkling. mix really well until completely homogeneous

3. To the melted coconut oil, water, and date mixture add the coconut nectar, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract,  and I will add the hemp hearts at this point, then puree the whole thing with a hand blender (immersion blender)

4. mix the pureed wet ingredients into the dry ingredients

5. divide the mixture into 2 square silicone baking pans

6. sprinkle the top with a little coconut sugar (or a lot -- I like a lot -- a couple of tbsp not tsp)

7. bake at 345 for 60 minutes

8. allow to cool in the pan before removing

Magic Chocolate Monkey Muffins revised

Every now and then it happens. I buy bananas and my husband buys bananas and then there are just too many bananas to eat before they go rogue. And when a good banana goes rogue, there is nothing to be done for it but to make it into something baked and delicious. In this case, I felt a little chocolate was in order. Don't know why. Just did. These little vegan goodies combine the amazing body-fueling properties of hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and chickpea flour with the pre-biotic goodness and baked good-springiness of tapioca starch. Sweetened with the very overripe bananas and some coconut sugar, these little cuties are a delicious, satisfying treat. We favour krisda chocolate chips which are stevia sweetened for much of our diurnal baking. If you've never used them, check 'em out. They taste pretty darn good. For chocolate chips, that is. They taste nothing like good quality belgian chocolate, but then I've never met a regular chocolate chip that did.

So, if you are looking for a terrific lunch box addition, these little muffins are nut free, dairy free, vegan, gluten-free, and super yummy. Let me know what you think!


Also, huge shout out to Victoria Whole Foods on Gerrard near Coxwell, for they give away their over-ripe unsaleable bananas rather than seeing them go to waste. This episode of yummy yummy in my tummy is partly possible due to their kind sponsorship in the form of mushy brown bananas. xoxo

ingredients:

1/2 cup hemp hearts, finely ground
1/4 cup chia seeds, finely ground
1/2 cup ground sunflower seeds
1/2 cup cacao powder
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 cup chickpea flour

1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas -- approx 4 very ripe
3/4 cup warm water + 4 tbsp coconut oil

1 cup chocolate chips


equipment needed:

1. measuring cups
2. measuring spoons
3. mixing bowl
4. silicone muffin cups or papaer muffin tray liners
5. cookie sheet or muffin tray
6. seed grinder


directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345
2. in a bowl, combine the ground hemp hearts, ground chia seeds, ground sunflower seeds, cacao, tapioca starch, chickpea flour, sea salt, baking soda, cream of tartar and ground vanilla bean. Mix until it is very homogeneous
3. in a separate bowl, mash your bananas
4. in a separate bowl, combine the warm water (not hot) and coconut oil, and let the oil melt
5. add the banana, water and coconut oil to the dry ingredients, and mix well
6. when the batter is beautifully mixed, add in the chocolate chips and mix well
7. scoop the batter into 24 small muffin cups. If you are using silicone, you can bake them standing up on a cookie tray. Or line 24 muffin cups with muffin papers in a muffin baking tray, and divide the batter evenly.
8. bake at 345 for 30 minutes
9. remove from the oven, and allow to cool before removing from the tray or silicone muffin cups

Cacao and Hemp Energy Balls -- delicious whole food fuel for vegans

My son calls these snowballs. The coconut on the outside is mostly so they won't be sticky. Crushed pecans or almonds would work too, but we were keeping it all nut free. One of my son's friend's has an allergy to nuts, and we like to have snacks he can enjoy too. These are delicious, balanced, snackable, satisfying, and perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert. I hope you like 'em as much as we do!

ingredients:

1 cup hemp hearts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2  cups shredded coconut

1/4 cup ground chia

3/4  cup raw cacao
1/2 tsp sea salt
1  tsp ground vanilla bean

1 1/2 cups pitted honey dates -- picked through

1 or 2 tbsp vanilla extract or water

directions:

For this recipe you will need a food processor or something that can also function like a food processor.

1. process hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, ground chia, raw cacao, sea salt, and ground vanilla until perfectly reduced to dust.
2. add dates and pulse until combined well. Or until you lose your mind.
3. add vanilla and as little water as possible whilst running the processor until a thick dough forms. (Do not add too much water. If it isn't stuck together in a blob and is crumbly or sandy  looking, you need more water. If it's like a paste, you've added to much, and you won't be able to make it into balls. Press it into a silicone pan and chill, then cut into small squares if you end up adding too much water. It will still be delicious.)
4. let sit for a while
5. roll into balls, and roll the balls in shredded coconut. 

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Eggs

We thought it would be fun to make two kinds of easter eggs this year. Plain ol' chocolate, and peanut butter chocolate. If you like peanut butter chocolate, you may enjoy these, too. I thought of Sandra and Dave while making these, because they share my appreciation for that delectable organic lightly salted peanut butter .... or in Dave's case, perhaps addiction is a more appropriate word ...

ingredients:

1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup raw cacao
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp stevia powder
2  tbsp ground vanilla

1 1/2 cups pitted honey dates
1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 or 2 tbsp water

directions:

1. combine the hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, coconut, raw cacao, sea salt, stevia powder, and ground vanilla in a food processor, and process until as homogeneous as possible
2. add the honey dates and the vanilla and water and pulse and then process until it starts to form a 'dough'. Don't stop processing until this happens!! If necessary add the second tbsp of water.
3. roll the dough into small egg shapes
4. how many you get will depend on the size. I got about 50.

Chocolate Easter Eggs V 2.0

So, we made our eggs again this year. My son is crazy about them. They look cute, they are good for you, and we had a lot of fun drawing on the foil with sharpies to make the wrappers. Win, win, and win!

ingredients:

1/2 cup hemp hearts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup raw cacao
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp stevia powder
2  tbsp ground vanilla

1 1/2 cups pitted honey dates

1 or 2 tbsp vanilla extract or water

directions:

1. combine the hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, coconut, raw cacao, sea salt, stevia powder, and ground vanilla in a food processor, and process until as homogeneous as possible
2. add the honey dates and the vanilla and pulse and then process until it starts to form a 'dough'. Don't stop processing until this happens!! If you need to add more water for this to happen, add it just a bit at a time.
3. roll the dough into small egg shapes
4. how many you get will depend on the size. I got about 40.