No-Bake Lemon Coconut Bars

I love lemon anything and I love coconut anything.  And I love the two together .  One of my all-time favorite desserts is the lemon coconut bundt cake in my Veganomicon cookbook but unfortunately I can't eat cake everyday. Since I've been experimenting with making my own version of Lara Bars, I had to do one of my favorite flavor combinations.  Oh boy, it did not disappoint.  I feel way less guilty about devouring these little treats that are raw, vegan, whole food ingredients, with no sugar added.  

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Makes about 20 1-2 inch squares

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews
2 cups dried dates, pitted
3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
Zest of one lemon
2 tsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt

Method

Note: If your dates aren't very soft, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes or until softened.

Blend cashews in a food processor until it's just beginning to turn from a powder to a nut butter.  This will take a few minutes so be patient.  Now add your dates and process until it all comes together.  This could also take a few minutes.  Scrape down the sides if needed.  Now add remaining ingredients pulse several times until all incorporated. 

Remove and place on parchment paper.  Press into a square or rectangle and place another sheet of parchment on top.  Optional: use a cast iron skillet to flatten the top.  Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour, then cut into squares.  Store in the refrigerator.

Mango Coconut Rice



Yummy, creamy coconuty rice studded with chunks of sweet mango makes an easy tropical treat for breakfast or even dessert.  I prefer champagne mangoes but you can use regular ones as well and frozen mango is also an option.   Opt for unsweetened shredded coconut but if you can't find it, just omit or lessen the agave.  Another possible add-on for this, garnish chopped macadamia nuts and enjoy this tropical island vacation in a bowl!



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Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup cooked brown rice
1/3 cup light coconut milk
Pinch of salt
1-2 tsp agave nectar
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 champagne mango, diced (just shy of a cup)

Method

Place rice and coconut milk in a small pot over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer.  Once simmering, begin stirring and it will thicken quickly.  Once desired consistency is reached, remove from heat and stir in agave, coconut, and mango.  Spoon into a bowl and serve.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

This is my way of duplicating my favorite Lara Bar.  I figured they're so simple with just a couple ingredients that I could just make my own.  There's no sugar in these either, well except for the chocolate chips.  Keep them in the freezer and they'll be firm but still totally soft enough to eat without thawing.  Warning: these are addictive!

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Makes about 20 squares or tablespoon size ball

Ingredients

20 dried dates, soaked in hot water 15-20 minutes

1/2 cup natural peanut butter, divided (no other ingredients except peanuts and salt!)

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Method

After soaking your dates they should be soft and pliable.  Add them to a food processor with half the peanut butter, and the cocoa.  Process until it's all combined and smooth.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in remaining peanut butter, chopped peanuts, and chocolate chips. 

You can either scoop tablespoon size amount of the mixture and roll into balls or take the mixture and press into a 1/4 inch thick disc on parchment paper.  Lay another piece of parchment and press on top so it is flat. Try a large cast iron skillet or just use your hands.  Chill in the freezer an hour or so. 

Remove from freezer, with a knife trim edges so they're straight (optional) and then cut into squares.  With the extra you've trimmed, you can roll into balls or just eat right then!

Store in the freezer.



The Naked Elvis Banana Bowl

 All the elements of an Elvis sandwich sans bread and of course no bacon. I suppose you could crumble some tempeh bacon on it, but I don't think it needs it.  This it great just as is or incorporate into other breakfasts and serve over plain oatmeal, whole grain pancakes or a frozen waffle, sprinkle with more chopped peanuts for crunch.  Make it a dessert and add some cocoa powder to the sauce or serve topped with chocolate chips.

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Ingredients
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
2-3 Tbsp Almond Milk or other non-dairy milk 
Honey to taste
1 medium banana, sliced

Method
Add peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of almond milk to small bowl.  Microwave about 10 seconds, then stir until peanut butter is completely dissolved.  Add more almond milk if desired for a thinner consistency.  For the honey you can either stir some into the sauce or drizzle the dish with it at the end, or do both.

Spoon sauce over sliced banana and top with chopped peanuts if desired.


 

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

Dry
1 cup quick oats
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt

Wet
1/2 cup apple sauce
6 Tbsp Earth Balance vegan butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Ener-G egg replacers
2 tsp vanilla extract

1 small apple, peeling and chopped

Method

Mix dry ingrendients in a mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, add butter, sugar, and brown sugar.  Mix until totally combined (a spatula works best).  Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk until everything is incorporated. 

Working in batches, add some of the dry ingredients into the wet and mix.  Repeat until everything is incorporated.  Stir in the apple.  Transfer to the fridge to rest at least an hour.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop tablespoon size of the batter onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Chocoholic Chip Cookies

I would have to say that the cookie is my favorite form of dessert.  It's handheld, you get all the flavors in one bite, and bonus, they're easy to make.  These cookies really bring the chocolate.  If you're a fan of crispy-edged corner brownies, then you'll like these.  They're very brownie-like but slightly crisp all around the outside so you get that in every bite!

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Ingredients

Dry
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Wet
1/4 cup almond milk
1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 stick Earth Balance vegan butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

Method

Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, set aside.

Add the almond milk and vinegar to a small bowl, set aside for a few minutes.

In a separate bowl, add vegan butter and both sugars.  Stir to mix well.  Add vanilla and almond milk/vinegar mixture. Stir until everything is thoroughly combined.

Working in 2 or 3 batches, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Once everything is incorporated, fold in the chocolate chips.

Place the bowl of batter into the fridge for an hour.  Batter can also be refrigerated overnight - just removed it from the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop tablespoons of batter and drop onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  (tip: keep a glass of water to dip spoon into in between every couple scoops and this will help prevent batter from sticking to your spoon).

Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Guilt-Free, Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

 

Thank you, thank you frozen banana for creating a faux ice cream that's heavenly.  It's guilt-free and so easy to make!  First and foremost, your banana is the sweet in this recipe is so make sure it's ripe to the point of being slightly spotted.  The more ripe the more sweet it will be.  The peanut butter and cocoa amounts can be adjusted to suit your tastes but be careful not to add too much almond milk or you'll end with a smoothie.  If that happens, simply add some more frozen banana slices or pop it in the freezer until it firms up.  I like to top mine with chopped peanuts and chocolate chips. 

 

 

You can watch me make it in this video or see recipe below.

 





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Ingredients

1 ripe banana, sliced and frozen
1 tbsp peanut butter
2 tsp cocoa powder
1-2 tbsp almond milk

Method

Add banana, peanut butter, and cocoa to a food processor.  Turn on and then add 1 tablespoon of almond milk through the feed tube.  The mixture should start to come together.  Stop and check it, scraping down the sides if necessary.  Add additional tablespoon of milk if needed.  End product should be like soft serve ice cream.

 

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Does anyone need a reason to whip up a batch of the most perfect cookie?  I certainly don't.  These cookies are really soft, almost like those old school Keebler soft batch chocolate chip cookies but way better.  These are also great made as blondies (see below for variation). I also lightened up the recipe by using applesauce in lieu of some of the vegan margarine.  Want to make them even a little healthier?  Use whole wheat flour. This may lighten them up a little bit but make no mistake, they are still just as delish!   

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Makes 10-12 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp Earth Balance vegan butter, softened
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Ener-G egg replacer (1 1/2 tsp egg replacer +2 Tbsp warm water)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (or more if you want them super chocolatety)

Method

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together the egg replacer in a bowl and set aside.

Add flour, baking soda, salt to a mixing bowl and whisk everything together.

In another bowl, add butter, applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla.  Whisk everything until thoroughly mixed.  Add egg replacer and stir.

Fold wet ingredients into the dry.  Once it's just mixed together, add chocolate chips and stir. 

Drop by tablespoon onto a lightly greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake 12-15 minutes.

To make as blondies (aka bars):
Spread batter into a greased 8 or 9 inch metal baking pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Let cool and cut into squares.

Frozen Chocolate Coconut Banana Bites

These make a tasty little treat that's perfect for satifying a sweet craving without going over board.

Ingredients

Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
Splash of almond milk
Sliced banana, frozen (1-2 hours)
Unsweetened coconut


Method

Place chocolate in a small bowl with a tiny bit of almond milk and microwave 20-30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted. Add more almond milk if needed. 

Place some coconut in a small dish.  Dip your sliced bananas in the chocolate and then coconut.  Then place chocolate side up on a parchment lined plate or baking sheet.  Freeze an hour and then eat!  Transfer any leftover to tupperwear to keep in the freezer.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Smooth and creamy chocolate mousse made vegan by using silken tofu as the base.  I like to think that since the tofu has protein it makes this even a bit healthy! 

For the ingredients I recommend almond or soy milk.  Skip some of the others like rice milk which is too watery.  If you're doing this totally vegan, look for vegan chocolate chips.  Regular semi-sweet chocolate chips typically contain some milk.  Most importantly, the best tofu is Mori-Nu silken tofu in firm or extra-firm (also comes in Lite).  This is the shelf stable silken tofu found with the Asian foods.  If you can't find this there is sometimes a refrigerated silken tofu with all the other kinds of tofu but the package is bigger so the other ingredients need to be adjusted accordingly.

Now for the super easy recipe...

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Makes 4-5 servings

Ingredients

1 package Mori-Nu Firm or Extra-Firm Silken Tofu
3/4 cup Almond Milk
1 cup Chocolate Chips
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions

Place almond milk and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat about 1 minute depending on your microwave.  Stir together until chocolate chips are dissolving in milk, you should now have a rich chocolate milk.  If necessary, heat a bit a longer.  Let the mixutre cool for a few minutes.

Add chocolate mixture, tofu, and vanilla to a food processor or blender and process until pureed.  This is important: taste the mixture to make sure you don't a have a tofu taste since all brands are different.  If it's not chocolaty enough you can melt some more chocolate chips and add it but don't add any more milk or it won't set properly.

Pour into 4-5 ramekins or small dishes.  It will set better this way than if it's in one big bowl.  Chill 2-3 hours and it's ready to eat!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Softies

Soft, cake-like, chocolately pumpkin goodness!  I make these vegan by using egg replacer and for the flour I use a combination of whole wheat and all purpose.  Recommended: eat them warm!

Makes 12-15 cookies

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Ingredients

Dry

1 1/2 cups flour (I use a combination of all purpose and whole wheat)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (optional)

1/2 tsp salt

Wet

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 can pumpkin (just shy of a cup)

1 egg or egg replacer

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Method

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, add brown sugar, graulated sugar, vanilla extract and oil.  Stir to combine.  With a mixer beat in pumpkin, then egg (or egg replacer).  Slowly beat in the dry ingredients until everything is combined.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop heaping tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet and bake 12-14 minutes.

No-Bake Apple Crisp

My super easy and fast apple crisp made in a skillet!  To make it a little healthier just skip the butter, put a little water in the pan with the apples, cover and steam.

Makes 1 serving

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Ingredients

1 Tbsp butter (or vegan Earth Balance)

1 Apple, cored and diced

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 Tbsp Agave Nectar

1/4 cup Granola

Directions

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add apples, sprinkle with cinnamon and stir.  Cook until tender 5-8 minutes. 

Drizzle apples with agave nectar and stir to evenly coat. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes until nice and gooey!

Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and top with granola.