"granola" bars -- gluten free, grain free, sugar free, low inflammatory vegan snacks

Both a friend of mine and I are struggling with auto-immune diseases right now. In an effort to reduce  grain proteins, starches, and sugars in an effort to decrease our inflammatory load, I came up with these awesome bites. Soaking the seeds and nuts before using helps that too!!

equipment needed:
mixing bowl
mixing spoon
measuring cups
measuring spoon
coffee or seed grinder
oven
square pans -- I like silicone pans -- 8 inch x 2 (and place the silicone on a metal baking sheet for stability)
metal spatula (for cutting the bars after
(or a knife and cutting board)




ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut butter
1 cup xylitol
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp psyllium powder
1/4 cup green banana flour
1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp tonka bean power

(optional 2 tbsp cacao powder)





1/2 cup hemp hearts
2 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup walnut pieces


345 for 40 to 45 minutes

Black Bean Brownies Bigger Better Faster -- gluten free goodness

Welcome to the dark side, friends. A place where the perfect brownie is made with black bean flour. A place where the perfect brownie is a dense, fudgey square of cake filled with chocolate, flavour, and deliciousness. A place where brownie lover go to give up their 'I hate gluten-free baking' card. These brownies use black bean flour instead of black beans themselves, and are  a perfect cake texture -- dense but not gummy. Fluffy but not light. I mean, a brownie has got to have substance. This is no angel cake, dears. Far too ... naughty ... for that. It really doesn't get better than this.

One caveat -- they are best when baked 1 day before you need them. Why? I don't know. It's just the way it is.

equipment needed:

mixing bowl
mixing spoon
measuring cups
measuring spoons
square baking dish (I used silicone but glass is good too -- just make sure you grease it well with coconut oil and maybe line the bottom with parchment)
a grinder for the chia seeds if you buy whole and grind them yourself (or buy ground chia)
oven (obvi)


ingredients:

a)
1 cup black bean flour
1 1/4 cup coconut sugar   (or as an alt: 1 cup xylitol + 1/4 cup coconut sugar +1/4 cup date sugar)
1/2 cup date sugar
1/2 cup raw cacao

b)
1/4 cup ground chia seed
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp tonka bean powder
1 tsp xanthan gum (stabilizer)

c)
 1 cup warm water + 2 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup cold water (total water is 2 cups)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

d)
1 cup chocolate chips -- fair trade, please

e)
2 tbsp coconut sugar to sprinkle on top



directions:

preheat oven to 345 and prepare your baking pan!!

1. combine 1 cup warm water and 2 tbsp coconut oil and let it melt
2. in a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients from parts a) and b) and stir until completely homogeneous.
3. in a small mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients from part c)
4. combine all of the above, and mix well
5. once the ingredients from a) b) and c) have been righteously integrated, stir in your chocolate chips (part d)
6. pour the batter into the baking pan, and make sure it's smooth and even
7. sprinkle the top of the batter with  the coconut sugar from part e)
8. bake at 345 for 40-45 minutes
9. Cool and then enjoy the NEXT DAY

seriously.

my husband eats them right away, and says they are great, but even he agrees they are BETTER the next day.


MAKE AHEAD MAKE AHEAD MAKE AHEAD

this is not a recipe for immediate gratification.

Because I cracked the Black Bean Brownie Code

Friends, lovely cake loving friends, I have news. Okay, so I already spilled the proverbial and literal beans in the title of this recipe, but I've never been one to keep good news to myself. Friends, it's true. I have cracked the black bean brownie code, and it is more beautiful than you could have imagined.

Picture this:

a brownie.

Yep.

That kind of moist and a little dense and fudgey brownie that makes you do a little dance and say oh yes oh god oh yes oh thank god. You know the kind. Of course you should know better than to talk with your mouth full but you will for realsies be forgiven because this is that good.

I've seen black bean brownie recipes kicking around here and there and they looked unappealing. I have to confess that one of my favourite baking flours for a little while was chickpea flour. So versatile.

My secret in these brownies: I don't use a can of black beans. I use black bean flour.

Nothing to puree. Nothing to blend. Just measure, mix, and go. Simple. And the texture is not gummy or dense. It's perfection. So there you have it.

A nut-free, vegan, gluten-free, perfect brownie that tastes just right.

OH, one small quirk: it taste better the next day. So, bake it, cool it, and refrigerate it over night. Then: eat. So. Good.

equipment needed:

mixing bowl
mixing spoon
measuring cups
measuring spoons
square baking dish (I used silicone but glass is good too -- just make sure you grease it well with coconut oil and maybe line the bottom with parchment)
a grinder for the chia seeds if you buy whole and grind them yourself (or buy ground chia)
oven (obvi)


ingredients:

a)
1 cup black bean flour
1 1/4 cup coconut sugar   (or as an alt: 1 cup xylitol + 1/4 cup coconut sugar +1/4 cup date sugar)
1/2 cup date sugar
1/2 cup raw cacao

b)
1/4 cup ground chia seed
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean

c)
 1 cup warm water + 2 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup cold water (total water is 2 cups)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

d)
1 cup chocolate chips -- fair trade, please

e)
plus either 2 tbsp chocolate chips or 2 tbsp coconut sugar to sprinkle on top



directions:

preheat oven to 345 and prepare your baking pan!!

1. combine 1 cup warm water and 2 tbsp coconut oil and let it melt
2. in a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients from parts a) and b) and stir until completely homogeneous.
3. in a small mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients from part c)
4. combine all of the above, and mix well
5. once the ingredients from a) b) and c) have been righteously integrated, stir in your chocolate chips (part d)
6. pour the batter into the baking pan, and make sure it's smooth and even
7. sprinkle the top of the batter with either the chocolate chips or the coconut sugar from part e)
8. bake at 345 for 40-45 minutes
9. Cool and then enjoy the NEXT DAY

seriously.

my husband eats them right away, and says they are great, but even he agrees they are BETTER the next day.


MAKE AHEAD MAKE AHEAD MAKE AHEAD

this is not a recipe for immediate gratification.

pea crackerrrrrsssss

For realsies, these are one of my favourite nibbles. I just love that green pea flavour! These ones are so savoury and yummy, too. I've made them with just salt and pepper, and those are amazing, no joke.

Crackers are so easy to make at home. The secret is to score them before baking, and if they don't end up crisp enough, dehydrate them extra after you finish baking on a heat that is too low to brown them more but will drive out the moisture.

Totally fine for school, totally tasty for kids.

equipment needed:

2 silicone mats or baking parchment

2 baking sheets

rolling pin

mixing bowl

mixing spoon

measuring cups

measuring spoons

ingredients:

2 cups pea flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch

3/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp mesquite

1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar


1/4 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup water (a couple tbsp more)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar



salt to sprinkle on top (optional)

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine dry ingredients, then work the coconut oil in using a fork
2. add water and vinegar and mix into dough
3. divide the dough into two pieces
4. roll out each piece onto a silicone baking mat, by covering the dough with a piece of parchment,
5. score into cracker shapes, and sprinkle with salt
6.bake at 345 for 20 minutes

crackerrrrrrs

I love crackers. Crunchy, savoury little nibbles. My fave are the ones made with green pea flour. This are also awesome. Almond flour, coconut flour, and pea flour. You know what that means? Means they are good for you.

These ones are no good for school (obvi) but they sure taste good for a snack at home. Or have a small handful with an apple for a quicky lunch. I love chili powder more than I should, so these are awesome for me.

equipment needed:

silicone baking mats or parchment

rolling pin

baking sheets

mixing bowl

mixing spoon

measuring cups

measuring spoons

ingredients:

1 cup blanched almond flour
1 cup raw almond flour
1 cup tapioca starch
1 cup green pea flour
1/4 cup coconut flour

1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp chili powder
dash stevia powder
1 tsp baking soda
(optional 2 tbsp nutritional yeast)

4 tbsp coconut oil

1 cup water
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar




directions:

1. combine in order listed -- work the coconut oil in using a fork before adding the water
2. roll flat on 2 pieces of baking parchment or 2 silicone baking mats
3. place on baking trays and score with a plastic spatula or something like that to make lines along which to break after baking
4. bake at 345 for 30 minutes
5. bake at 200 for 60 minutes

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

plain simple muffins -- vegan, gluten free, and wholesome

School muffins. School muffins with raisins. No nuts. No grains. No nonsense. Vegan!!

These little cuties are simple to make, and have such a simple, pleasing taste. Comforting.

The batter is made of such goodness as chickpea flour and sunflower seed flour

equipment needed:
mixing bowl
measuring spoons
measuring cups
mixing spoon
seed grinder
silicone muffin cups and baking sheet or muffin pan and liners


ingredients:

1 cup coconut sugar
1 1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup ground chia seed
1 cup ground sunflower seeds
1/2 cup tapioca starch

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



1 1/2 cups hot water
1/4 cup coconut oil

1 cup raisins (or chocolate chips)


directions:

1. in a bowl: put all the ingredients except water, coconut oil, and raisins
2. mix well until completely combined
3. in a separate mixing bowl, combine the hot water and coconut oil, and let it melt
4. mix the wet and dry ingredients together
5. finally, stir in the raisins
6. scoop into 24 small prepared muffin cups
7. bake at 345 for 30 minutes

Bread -- bread with seeds -- gluten free, grain free, nut free,vegan, nutritional powerhouse

Hey, I make weird stuff. This. This is my favourite kind of bread right now. So good with a little apple butter or coconut oil on it. I've updated this by throwing in whole sunflower seeds. I love the texture this produces. I've been eating a piece of this for lunch everyday. Powerhouse. One thing I've noticed as I've gotten ... ahem ... older, is that there is certainly virtue in maintaining a higher protein intake. Thus the protein powder and seeds in this bread. Makes this 40+ vegan woman feel strong.

ingredients:

2 cups water
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup finely ground chia seeds
1/2 cup ground hemp hearts
2 tbsp arrowroot flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
4 tbsp carob powder
4 tbsp pea protein powder

1 cup pumpkin seed flour
1 cup sunflower seed flour
3/4 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup whole black chia seeds
1/2 cup whole sunflower seeds


directions:

1. combine the water and vinegar
2. add in the salt, chia, hemp, arrowroot, xanthan, carob, and pea protein, and either whisk or use a hand blender. Xanthan gum is a tricky bastard if you are not careful. Slimy and clumpy? Ick. Mix that sass-monster in.
3. Add the flours and baking soda, and mix with a spoon
4. Finally stir in your whole chia seeds, and your whole sunflower seeds
5. put into a loaf pan that has been lined with parchment
6. shape the loaf
7. bake at 345 for 90 minutes
8. dehydrate at 200 for 3 hours, removing from the pan after 1 hour

(I do 2 loaves at once so as not to run the oven for this long for just 1.)

345 for 90 minutes
200 for 180 minutes

Sunflower Seed and Raisin Muffins -- morning glory breakfast muffins?

Lunch-box, smunch-box. Yeah, you heard me. Smunch-box. As in: stuff it. Stuff it in your smunch-box. Which is exactly what I did with these little bites. Lunch box muffins that will energize your ankle biter. Pea protein, hemp hearts, chia seeds, and sunflower seeds give these muffins a powerful punch. Keep your energy up, and your blood sugar stable, and taste great. Tall order, but we filled it. So go ahead and stuff it in your smunch-box. You'll be glad you did.

3 cups water  (2 cups??)
1 cup coconut sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger

1 cup finely ground hemp hearts
1/4 cup finely ground chia seeds

1 cup ground sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pea protein powder
1 tsp baking soda


1 cup raisins
1 cup whole sunflower seeds


directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345
2. combine the ingredients in the order listed
3. scoop the batter into prepared muffin cups
4. bake at 345 for 60 to 90 minutes
5. remove from muffin cups when cool

A Power Snack -- the trail-mix cookies

A third version of our now favourite trail-mix cookies. Delicious. Good for you. Goooooooood for you. Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, full of mother-nature's bounty. And definitely kid approved.

ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup date sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/4 cup raw cacao
1/4 cup carob powder
1 cup ground up hemp hearts
1 cup sunflower seed flour
1/4 cup pea protein powder

1/4 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup whole sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup organic raisins, picked through
1/2 cup krisda chocolate chips


directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345
2. combine the ingredients in the order listed
3. form balls of the dough, and place on a lined baking sheet (lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat)
4. flatten the balls with a fork dipped in water
5. bake at 345 for 20 minutes
6. will make 2 trays -- 3 to 4 dozen depending on size

Shape Cookies -- an excellent school snack

I'm always long on intention and short on time. That's why rolled shape cookies have been in abeyance these months and months and months. Sabbatical? Study abroad? World tour? Relegated to the dust-heap? None of the above. Anyway, my small human requested shape cookies, and this is the recipe I cam up with. Yes, pea protein powder again. Do not be affeared. It's so gentle on your stomach, and has a lovely flavour. Sort of mellow and nutty. Anyway, these are super yummy. I sent my son to rock climbing with a container of these which he shared amongst all the kids in his group. They were devoured with grunts of delights. Befitting, I imagine, the shape. We like these little piggy cutters. But we also did flowers. Make sure you roll 'em between 2 layers of parchment. Or on a silicone mat covered by a layer of parchment. Trust me. You won't be happy if you do it sans ...

ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup date sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup water


1 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup ground chia seed


1/2 cup carob powder
1/2 cup raw cacao

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup sunflower seed flour

1/4 cup pea protein powder

1/4 cup coconut flour


directions:

1. mix the coconut oil with warm water, then add coconut sugar and vanilla
2. mix in the spices and then the ground chia, using a whisk if necessary
3. add the cinnamon, vanilla, and sea salt
4. mix in the carob and cacao
5. mix in the baking soda and sunflower seed flour
6. mix in the coconut flour
7. let sit for 10 minutes
8.
9. preheat the oven to 345
10. roll out the dough in 2 or 3 parts between two sheets of parchment
11. cut using your favourite cookie cutters
12. place on a lined baking sheet, and bake for 17 or 18 minutes at 345

makes about 1 1/2 or 2 trays of cookies, quantity depends on size of cookie cutters

simple cake -- nut free, sugar free, grain free, gluten free, simple vegan plain cake

Did you know you can fancy up a cake by sprinkling a little sugar on top? I like to use coconut sugar for this. It takes any plain cake an elevates it to kind of wonderful. Amazing!!

3 cups of water
1 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp ground vanilla
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon (I went heaping this time)
1 tsp ginger

2 tbsp arrowroot flour

1/4 cup white chia seeds
1/2 cup hemp hearts

3 cups sunflower seed flour
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup coconut flour

a little coconut sugar to sprinkle on the top






directions:

preheat the oven to 345!

1.  combine the ingredients in the order listed.
2. divide into 2 square silicone pans, push it down with a rubber scrapper and smooth the top.
3. sprinkle with a  little coconut sugar
4. bake at 345 for 90 minutes
5. cool fully before removing from the pan

(I cut it into squares with a blunt stainless steel spatula so as not to score the silicone, and then lifted them out. Lovely!)

Trail Mix Cookies -- nut-free, school-safe, vegan, and awesome

These little goodies make a decent energy snack for kids. The coconut sugar is low glycemic, and any blood sugar elevation is mitigated by the chia, sunflower seed, and coconut flour. They taste great, have an enjoyable texture, and are safe for school. Vegan, gluten free, grain free, nut free, sugar free. Yum!

1 cup water
1 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/4 cup raw cacao
1/4 cup carob powder
2 cups sunflower seed flour

1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda

1 cup whole sunflower seeds
1 cup organic raisins, picked through


directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345
2. combine the ingredients in the order listed
3. form balls of the dough, and place on a lined baking sheet (lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat)
4. flatten the balls with a fork dipped in water
5. bake at 345 for 20 minutes
6. will make 2 trays -- approx 40 depending on size

Chocolate Muffins -- vegan, gluten free, grain free, sugar free, high protein muffins, safe for school!

So, these got made today. And they will find their way into Zephyr's lunch box tomorrow. The are not too sweet, but taste great. I threw in some pea protein, which is a high quality, easily digestible vegan protein. I got it recently because I'd been feeling like I was losing ground, strength wise, so I though maybe a little extra something would help me gain back and move forward. Anyway, it has been finding its way into my son's porridge in the morning, as well as into various meals I prepare for myself. And today, it found its way into these. I also threw in a small quantity of Krisda chocolate chips. Which taste pretty good in baked goods but are sweetened with stevia instead of sugar. So, I don't mind my child eating them at lunch. Coconut sugar is low on the glycemic index, and the combination of seeds and protein in these will help maintain stable energy and blood sugar for ages. And, they taste pretty nice. We all enjoyed one after dinner, and there were definitely no complaints.

ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 coconut sugar

3 cups hot water

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup raw cacao
1/4 cup pea protein powder 

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

3/4 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp arrowroot powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum


1 cup hemp hemp hearts, ground

1/4 cup ground chia seeds

2 cups ground sunflower seeds


1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup krisda chocolate chips

directions:

1. combine all ingredients except sunflower seed flour and baking soda, and then mix with a hand blender.

2. mix in the sunflower seed flour and the baking soda
3. mix in the krisda chocolate chips
4. scoop into 24 prepared muffin cups

5. bake at 345 for 60 minutes

makes 24 delicious small muffins