Tag Archives: seeds

Healthy Oat Bars

Posted in Vegan Baking by

Here is my favourite recipe for healthy oat bars! I love this recipe that I came up with because it’s made with healthy dates and prunes. Dates have iron, calcium and fiber in them as well as countless other healthy benefits. Prunes also have fiber in them as well as vitamin C, A, K and they are said to be a good anti colorectal cancer food choice. I really like how the dates and prunes act as a sweetening agent in the recipe! I’ve added the option of adding pure maple syrup to them as well if desired. I’ve made them with and without the maple syrup and both ways taste really good to me. The maple syrup adds a bit of extra sweetness and of course a tasty kick to the bars though. I love oat bars because they are easy to make and can be a great snack to eat on the go! Another bonus is that this recipe is flour free too!

|**The bars do have almonds in them but you can make them nut free if allergies are a concern. **

 

Healthy Oat Bars

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups Gluten Free Oats
  • 1 TBSP Cinnamon
  • 3/4 Cup Cranberries or other dried sulfate free fruit of choice
  • 3 TBSP Flaxmeal
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
  • 1/2 tsp – 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 TBSP Pure Maple Syrup (optional)
  • 12 Dates (I soak mine over night to make them easier
  • 6 Prunes
  • 1/3 cup warm water
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds or you can substitute another seed

 

You will also need these simple items …

  1. Food Prosser or high-powered blender
  2.  You will need a baking pan. Depth will depend on how thick you want your bars to be.
  3. Parchment paper to line your baking dish or coconut oil to oil your dish with.

 

 

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. In a food processor add the dates and prunes
  3. Add 1/3 cup warm water into the food processor and process until smooth. Add more water if needed until it’s well combined. Also add the vanilla extract and combine all ingredients well.
  4. In a large bowl add the oats, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds and flaxmeal.
  5. Add the cranberries or other dry fruit of choice & finely chopped almonds to dry mixture. Combine well.
  6. Add the date & prune mixture into the dry ingredients. Make sure to mix everything up well.
  7. If you’re adding in the maple syrup then toss it in now and combine well.
  8. Line your baking pan with parchment paper or oil it well
  9. Add the mixture to the baking pan and even it out well.
  10. Bake for 3o minutes

*Let rest until cooled off before cutting into bars*

 

Enjoy them! I know I do & they don’t last long at all! 🙂

 

 

Date Cranberry bars

Healthy Vegan Cranberry Granola Bars

Posted in Breakfast, Vegan Baking by

I love granola bars and I also love giving them to my kids as a snack. I don’t however like the fact that the store-bought types are loaded with refined sugar! I’ve been playing around with different combinations of ingredients and making my own homemade granola bars. In this recipe I use pure Canadian maple syrup as my sweetener. Pure maple syrup is low on the glycemic index and contains manganese and iron which a total plus! 🙂 These bars are protein packed and contain healthy omega! Hurrah! I even eat them for breakfast sometimes when I’m on the go. Here is my easy and healthy recipe for vegan granola bars …

Easy & Healthy to whip up Granola Bars1

Healthy Vegan Cranberry Granola Bars

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups oats
  • 3/4 cup sulfur free dried cranberries
  • 3 TBSP raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1/3 cup flaxmeal
  • 2 TBSP vegan protein powder (I used vanilla brown rice protein powder)
  • 1 TBSP cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup melted organic coconut oil
  • 1 TBSP natural almond or peanut butter
  • 3 TBSP brown rice flour
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 TBSP of flaxmeal w/ 3 TBSP warm water
  • 1/4 cup chopped almonds or nut of choice

* You will need a baking pan. The size of the pan will vary depending on how thick you want your granola bars to be*

* Depending on how sweet you like your baked goods, you may want to add more maple syrup to your granola bars. I don’t feel the need for the extra sweetness so I only use 1/2 cup in my recipe.

Super yummy & healthy granola bars!
 

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F
  2. In a large bowl add oats, brown rice flour, vegan protein powder, cinnamon, and 1/3 cup flaxmeal. Mix well.
  3. In a small bowl add the 2 TBSP of flaxmeal with 3 TBSP of warm water. Mix and let it sit for a couple of minutes to thicken.
  4. Chop up nuts or process them. Toss them into the mixture.
  5. Add cranberries and pumpkin seeds and mix.
  6. In a medium-sized bowl add the almond butter, maple syrup and coconut oil. Mix well.
  7. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and combine well.
  8. Use vegan butter/coconut oil to grease your pan or cut parchment paper to fit your baking dish.
  9. Add the mixture to the baking pan and even out. Push it down with a spoon to make sure it’s tightly packed in.
  10. Pop into the oven for 35-40 minutes at 350 F.
  • Once you take it out of the oven let it cool off in the baking dish before you cut it up.
  • When the granola mixture has cooled off you can remove the parchment paper and place on the counter. Cut the granola up as desired and place in an airtight container. If you didn’t use the parchment paper just cut it up right in the baking dish. You could also individually wrap them up so you have them ready to go for breakfast on the go or to toss in your lunchbag or purse for a snack.

ENJOY! 🙂

Easy to make healthy granola bars!

Easy to make healthy granola bars!

Granola Coins

Posted in Vegan Baking by

These granola coins are so easy to make and are so handy to have in the house.  I throw them into my purse in case I need a snack on the go.  I found a recipe in Today’s Parent but had to change it up to suit my vegan needs. The original recipe called for eggs so I use flaxmeal in my recipe. I also added shredded coconut to my recipe as well because I think it add’s incredible flavor and texture to the coins.  Another change to the original recipe is that I added cinnamon too! We LOVE cinnamon! Making this recipe really got me thinking about other combinations I can make as well. I will be trying out some different ideas before my kids head back to school.  Sadly summer holidays are almost over. I’m starting to think of new easy to make snacks that the kids would be able to take to school. I think that these granola coins would be a great snack to throw into their lunch boxes! They are super yummy and very healthy for them too!

Granola Coins

*You will need a muffin tin for this recipe*

  • 3   TBSP  Flaxmeal
  • 7-8 TBSP Water
  • 1 TBSP Vegetable oil or coconut oil
  • 1 cup oats
  • 2 TBSP Pumpkin seeds
  • 1 TBSP Sesame seeds
  • 2 TBSP Shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup 100% pure Maple syrup
  • Cinnamon to taste … I add at least 1 teaspoon to mine 🙂
  1. In a small bowl add the 3 TBSP of Flaxmeal with 7-8 TBSP of water. Add 7 and if it’s still a tad dry add more water. Mix well and let sit for 5 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
  3. In a medium bowl add maple syrup and oil. Mix.  
  4. Stir in the oats, pumpkin seeds, cranberries and sesame seeds, cinnamon, shredded coconut and add the flaxmeal.  Give it a good mix.
  5. Coat your muffin tin with coconut or veggie oil
  6. Add the granola mixture into the muffin tin, dividing it equally.
  7. Use the back of a teaspoon to press the mixture firmly down into the muffin cup.
  8. Bake at 35o F  for about 12 minutes
  9. Let the coins stay in the muffin cups for at least 5 minutes after taking them out of the oven. This will let the shape fully set.
  10. Transfer to a storage container

* Makes 12 granola coins *