-
Homemade Maple Pecan “Larabars” (Vegan+GF)
Guys, I don’t know if you knew this but Larabar addiction is a thing. Have you ever tried the cookie dough one? Omg, it’s mon-ay hon-ay!
Also something you may not have noticed, I’m a huuuuuuuuge fan of cookie dough. I think I’m getting old though because I’ve noticed more and more that I’m super sensitive to eating too much sugary/fatty sweets. I mean, it goes without saying that eating poorly is gonna make you feel like crap, that’s obvious. It’s just that I remember being a kid and seemingly being able to eat endless amounts of sweets with no repercussions. Maybe it’s just my tastes changing, dunno.
Anyway, that’s why I’ve sort of fallen in love with Larabars recently. If you aren’t familiar with what they are, they’re basically dates and nuts made into bars. Each of the flavors has a few extra ingredients but they’re all whole food things. That’s why I love them cuz they’re strait up goodness that doesn’t make me feel blah. Ya know?
Okay, so because I’m obsessed with making things myself I had to do these. Even though they’re really simple and easy to get from the store, I just love being able to create my own flavors. Now they do make a pecan pie one that’s pretty similar to these but I wanted to throw in some maple because maple pecan is one of the best flavor combos of all time!
So these are so easy and perfect for a healthy on-the-go snack for an active day. You can also do a bunch of stuff with them like chop them up and use them as a topping for oats, smoothie bowls, or even ice cream!
Homemade Maple Pecan "Larabars" (Vegan+GF)
Whether you're looking for an energy boosting snack or a not-so-naughty treat these easy bars will satisfy your craving.
Prep Time 15 minutesServings 6 bars (approx)Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup pecans
- 1 1/4 cup pitted medjool dates
- 1 tablespoon almond or cashew butter this just helps the bars hold together and blend better
- 1 tablespoon liquid sweetener such as maple syrup or agave
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
-
Combine the nuts and dates in a food processor or blender (a small one works best) and pulse together until finely ground. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse again until as smooth as you'd like. (I left mine a slight bit gritty for texture but if you'd rather, you should probably be able to get it completely pureed.)
-
Line a 5x9 inch loaf pan with parchment and press the mixture tightly down. Cut into desired size bars and enjoy!
-
Store extra bars in fridge.
-
Cinnamon Apple Graham Cracker Crumb Bars (Vegan)
And it appears the weekend’s over, so um………I think we need something sweet to “celebrate”, right?
HEY, how do you feel about apples and cinnamon stuffed inside cookie bars???? But for reals, what do you think? I have all types in my gang when it comes to apple desserts; the ones that like anything and everything, the ones that only like cooked apples but hate cinnamon, the ones that claim to be allergic to all fruits, those that only like raw apples, and those that refuse to have an opinion at all.
With so many people living here in casa craziness it’s becoming easier and easier to get rid of all my extras as you could probably have guessed.
Anyway, so these cookie bars were inspired by one of my fam’s favorites, my s’mores cookie bars! Oh my goodness, and as I’m typing this I just realized that I’ve never shared that recipe, what am I doing with my life guys??? (I’ll definitely share it soon though.? )
Ok, but back to the apple bars, they are simply a combination of the most amazingly soft and delicious cookie base and a classic cinnamon apple filling like what you fill a pie with. Of course, then I couldn’t resist the urge to drizzle them with something extra (I’ve got issues) so I added a little bit of icing to dress them up. If you want you could skip that part I guess (#boringpeopleoftheworldunite), but I’m a frosting fanatic so I seriously cannot.
Alrighty, now that I’ve explained why you have to make these I’m gonna shut up so you can. Oooohhh, and don’t forget to sip something cozy and hot with them like a chai latte or some spiced cider, yum!!!! Enjoy, you guys!
Cinnamon Apple Graham Cracker Crumb Bars (Vegan)
Take advantage of apple season by making these soft, sweet, delicious cookie bars full of all the sugar and spice goodness!Prep Time 25 minutesCook Time 35 minutesTotal Time 1 hourServings 16 barsIngredients
Apple Filling:
- 3 medium apples peeled, cored, and diced into small cubes
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cookie Bar Dough:
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons almond butter or cashew butter
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unbleached flour
- 1 cup graham cracker or vanilla cookie crumbs finely ground *see note (I used graham crackers from this recipe
Icing:
- 2 teaspoons almond milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Apple Filling:
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C) and line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment. Add the water to a medium saucepan over medium high heat and add your apples. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the apples are starting to get soft and darken. Combine the salt, sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a small bowl and mix to combine, then add to the pan. Continue cooking for about 2 minutes longer until, stirring constantly, until the sugar starts to melt and caramelize. Remove pan from heat and set aside until needed.
Cookie Bar Dough:
-
In a medium mixing bowl, beat coconut oil, nut butter, almond milk, and brown sugar together until creamed. Add, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat until mixed. Add the flour and graham crumbs and beat until well combined.
-
Use a rubber spatula to spread about 1/2 of the dough in the baking dish and bake for about 8 - 10 minutes until the top starts just barely browning. Remove from oven and scrape out your pan of apple mixture over the dough. Spread to even out then crumble the remaining 1/2 of the dough over top and return to the oven for 15 to 17 minutes until the top is starting to turn golden brown. Remove pan from oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting.
Icing:
-
Whisk the, milk, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl. Add the powdered sugar and stir gently until you have a smooth icing. Use a fork or fine tipped pastry bag to drizzle over the bars after you cut them.
Recipe Notes
*If you are vegan and prefer to not make your own graham crackers you can replace the crumbs in this recipe with a number of lightly sweet cookies or crackers from the store. I think Nabisco makes grahams without honey but Speculoos and Biscoff Speculoos cookies, animal crackers, cinnamon teddy grahams, and Girl Scout's Thanks-a-lots are all vegan. Double check to make sure though.
If you’d like to try making your own almond milk check out this recipe and video here – >>>
For the nut milk bag I used you can get it HERE -> It’s not absolutely necessary but it makes things so much simpler and I really enjoy having it.
Use the the code “sincerelytori” for a discount!
-
Cranberry Lemon No-Bake Granola Bars (Vegan+GF)
I don’t think you can ever have too many snack ideas in your arsenal to fight against getting hangry. After making that last post about lunch box ideas I got a lot of great feedback that you guys loved these kind of ideas. I find it really helpful even for myself to sometimes embrace simplistic ways of cooking. Or in this case, not cooking.
Anyway, did you have a favorite snack bar as a kid? When I think about this a lot of things come to mind, especially chocolate things. Well, while I totally love me a good chocolate chip granola bar, I also occasionally crave something a little more tart and refreshing like lemon.
Especially with it being near the end of Summer now, I’ve been really trying to embrace the last of the flavors. You know, because after that it’ll be full fledged #pumkinspiceeverything. ;p
So these bars are so so easy to make and they make the perfect snack for adding to a lunchbox, grabbing as a snack, or even crumbing over some fruit for breakfast. I think my favorite part about them is that they’re really soft and chewy. I don’t know about you, but I was never into the extra crunchy granola bars when I was a kid. I think I have a much better appreciation for them now that I’m older, but I’ll still go for the soft ones if given the choice.
And I wasn’t actually joking that much about the approach of Fall and my excitement to start making recipes for it. I’m even anxious to take this recipe and switch around with some festive spices, yum!
Alright, so let me know what you think of these if you get the chance to try them. You can also take this recipe and roll it into granola balls/bites!
Cranberry Lemon No-Bake Granola Bars (Vegan+GF)
A quick and simple snack that's great for grabbing on the go or putting in lunchboxes.Prep Time 1 hourServings 5 barsIngredients
- 1 2/3 cup oats
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut shreds
- 6 large medjool dates pitted and soaked
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon flax seeds
- 3 tablespoons dried cranberries
-
Almond & Condensed Coconut Milk Blondies (Vegan+GF)
If these condensed coconut milk blondies aren’t over the top I don’t know what is.
This post is all about vegan condensed coconut milk blondies
August has always been my least favorite month of the year because it seems so anti-climactic and plain. Like, nothing really happens during the month. A close second to August on my least favorites would probably be February because that’s always the month when I start getting sick of the cold and snow.
Now, if you want to shortcut these bare you can just buy condensed coconut milk from the store.
This post was all about vegan condensed coconut milk blondies
Here are some other posts you may enjoy:
Vanilla Cappuccino Cake + White Chocolate Espresso Frosting (Vegan)
Chocolate Chip White Bean Blender Blondies (Vegen+GF)
Cranberry White Chocolate Streusel Muffins
Almond & Condensed Coconut Milk Blondies (Vegan+GF)
These dreamy blondies are perfect mesh of sweet, nutty, and creamy in one bite. Perfect for all the vanilla lovers in the crowd.Prep Time 25 minutesCook Time 45 minutesTotal Time 1 hour 10 minutesServings 16 barsIngredients
Condensed Coconut Milk:
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup cane sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch or cornstarch
Blondies:
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut cream*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend or all purpose flour if you're not gluten free
- 1/3 cup vegan white chocolate chips or chunks
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
Icing:
- 1 tablespoon coconut water or water
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Condensed Coconut Milk:
-
Combine coconut milk, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and place over medium low heat. Bring to a boil while gently stirring and cook, about 10 to 15 minutes, until it starts to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir the cornstarch with about a tablespoon of water to make a smooth paste. Now quickly whisk in the cornstarch mixture and return pan to a boil for about a minute until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla then set aside.
Blondies:
-
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C) and lightly grease a 8x8 inch baking pan. Pour the coconut oil into the bowl of stand mixer and add sugar and coconut cream. Beat together until combined, then add baking powder, salt, vanilla, and almond; mix until smooth. Add flour one cup at a time and beat after each addition. Stir in white chocolate and nuts then divide dough in half.
-
Press one half into prepared pan in an even layer and bake on the top rack of oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from over and pour your condensed coconut milk on top. Crumble the remaining dough over condensed milk and place pan back in oven but on the middle shelf. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is starting to turn golden brown on edges. Remove from oven and cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.
Icing:
-
Whisk together ingredients for icing until smooth then drizzle over cooled bars using a pastry bag or just a spoon. Allow icing to dry before serving
-
Store in an airtight container
Recipe Notes
The coconut cream is a different product than coconut milk. You can buy it on it's own at some stores but if it isn't available you can use a can of full fat coconut milk (you'll probably need 2 to get 1/2 cup). Just place it in the fridge and allow it to chill so that the cream separates from the rest. Use a spoon to gently scrape the cream layer and then save the rest of the can for another use. It's great in smoothies.
-
Chocolate & Coconut Pumpkin Brownies
It’s been a while since I shared a brownie recipe hasn’t it? Well, it’s time to change that for sure.
I was scrolling through some of my really old recipes the other day and realizing that I’ve never made a completely vegan brownie. I’ve tried tons of variations but I don’t think I’ve ever taken on the challenge of creating a good one before. For these I used some pumpkin for texture and to help keep them on the healthier side of things.
I know, you’re probably like “How could you defile a perfectly good browine with veggies!” :O Honestly though, these might surprise you by how good they are without a ton of unhealthy ingredients. I really like making energy bites that taste like brownies (like these!), especially when I don’t have time to bake. When I do want to bake though, I’ve been loving these.
Something about most recipes I’ve seen for vegan brownies in the past is that they simply replace the eggs and dairy with lots of sugar and oil. Now you obviously can’t have a good brownie without it being sweet and fudgy. That’s why I was curious if I could make a brownie with just a tad more balance than the average.
This recipe relies almost completely on the coconut for that buttery texture we love in brownies. Then most of the sweetness comes naturally from banana. I’m not saying these are going to taste exactly like the bakery brownies you may be used to. However, when the craving for brownies hits and you’d like a smarter option these are perfect for the job.
Now I realize these are a little bit, okay a lot, out of season, but I’m okay with that. I mean, we do live in a day and age where we can get pretty good quality canned pumpkin puree year round. I try to get a brand that doesn’t have any other ingredients added and I just really like the texture it gives these brownies. Also, I had to add just a little sprinkle of mini chocolate chips because, you know, chocolate 😛 .
If you try these I’d love to know what you think and I hope you enjoy!
Chocolate & Coconut Pumpkin Brownies
Give your brownies a recipe makeover with these healthy versions using pumpkin. They're dairy free, gluten free, and vegan!Prep Time 15 minutesCook Time 30 minutesTotal Time 45 minutesIngredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 medium banana mashed
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened dessicated coconut
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons baking bowder
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips dairy free
- additional coconut shreds for top optional
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C) and line an 8x8 inch or 7x11 inch baking pan with parchment or wax paper.
-
In a medium mixing bowl, mash the banana well and stir in pumpkin puree and almond milk. Add the cocoa powder while whisking then Stir in salt, the baking powder, flax, maple, cinnamon, and vanilla until combined. Mix in the coconut and oat flour then stir in until smooth. Pour the batter into prepared pan and sprinkle chocolate chips over the batter evenly.
-
Bake the brownies for 25-30 minutes until the center doesn't jiggle when the pan is nudged. Remove from oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. These brownies are very fudgy until completely cooled so you can chill them in the fridge or freezer to make them cool faster or simply enjoy them warm and messy.
-
Almond Vanilla Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars (Vegan+GF)
Breakfast time, everybody up.
Yes, I’m sharing another oats recipe, but I promise it’s not boring. So I went through this phase a while back where I was so into baked oats. Literally, I’d eat it for breakfast every single morning.
Needless to say, after that much repetition I did get tired of it after a while but recently I’ve been craving it again. I also remembered that I’ve got some really ancient recipes that need updating and these almond vanilla bars came to mind. I called them “bars” for lack of a better word, but honestly it’s definitely closer to baked oats and you just cut it into bars.
What I love about this recipe is that it’s a great way to prep ahead and have breakfast or snacks ready for those busy mornings.
If you’re into overnight oats or any other way of eating cold cereal then you might enjoy these cold. I’ll definitely eat this recipe cold sometimes and I really like it that way. Personally though, my favorite way to eat this recipe is hot and slightly toasty on top. Oh, and I love to pile on all the berries and fruit (bet you’re surprised by that 😉 ). Basically any toppings you like for a basic bowl of oats works well here.
I just really enjoy this change up from a basic bowl of oats sometime, especially during the summer or when I’m in a hurry. Topping this with something crunchy like a sprinkle of cereal, nuts, and/or seeds is also a win! Oh, or this granola
Almond Vanilla Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Getting tired of basic oatmeal? This baked recipe puts a whole new spin on loving it.Prep Time 10 minutesCook Time 35 minutesTotal Time 45 minutesIngredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk
- 1 scoop plant-based vanilla protein powder
- 1 apple quartered + seeds removed
- 4 teaspoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoons almond extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teapoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C) and line an 8x8 inch square pan with parchment. Combine all the ingredients, except oats, in a blender or food processor and pulse until the apples are blended and the mixture is smooth.
-
Add the oats and pulse just a few times to combine then pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the top is golden brown. Cool for about 5 minutes before eating.
-
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
If you’d like to try making your own almond milk check out this recipe and video here – >>>
For the nut milk bag I used you can get it HERE -> It’s not absolutely necessary but it makes things so much simpler and I really enjoy having it.
Use the the code “sincerelytori” for a discount!
-
Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Protein Bars (Vegan+GF)
You guys are probably thinking I’m obsessed with cookie dough at this point but……….wait, who are we kidding, I totally am!
Yes, give me a planet where berries are abundant, the rivers are chocolate, and cookie dough grows on trees and I’d be all set. Anybody wanna move there with me? Oh, wait I forgot peanut butter! Yes, peanut butter’s gotta be included in there somewhere.
So, it’s getting very close to marking a year since I came back to the States from Chile and it’s really hard to believe. This year has been so full of good, a little bad, and mostly unexpected things. One of the things I’ve been asked so many times is how living there was different from living here in the States.
I’ve yet to come up with the perfect condensed answer, but a small little thing is that the variety of ingredients for cooking and baking is pretty drastic. Also, I feel like I’ve been spoiled to so many options of grab-and-go options by growing up where we’ve always had so many.
Protein bars, for example, are something that I rarely (if ever) saw down in Patagonia and I’m really into having them sometimes. Depending on your familiarity with fitness and nutrition, you may not think too much about getting in enough protein, but if you then you’ve probably heard recommendations to be getting enough.
Hey, but even if you couldn’t care less about any of that, this is health-ified cookie dough we’re talking about and who could resist that?????
What I love about this recipe is that it’s pretty adaptable and it’s so simple. The oat flour can even be made by blending up some oat before starting on the rest, and if you like things extra sweet fell free to add in a little maple syrup or agave. I actually enjoy these as they are and the dates give them so much natural sweetness. As for the protein powder, if you prefer to use whey or another type those can easily be substituted and the bars should still be delicious!
Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Protein Bars (Vegan+GF)
These healthy homemade protein bars are here to make all your cookie dough dreams come true. They're quick, easy, gluten free, and vegan too!Prep Time 45 minutesServings 8 barsIngredients
- 1/2 cup about 12 pitted dates
- 4 scoops 112g vanilla protein powder (plant-based if needed)
- 1/4 cup 64g almond butter
- 2/3 cup 100g oat flour
- 5 tablespoons almond milk or any non-dairy milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon optional
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet dark chocolate chips or chunks dairy-free if needed
Instructions
-
Grease an 8x8 inch pan or line it with parchment paper. Add the protein powder and dates to a blender or food processor and pulse until the dates are mostly ground. Add the almond butter, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, oat flour, and almond milk and pulse until completely combined.
-
Use a spatula to fold in the chocolate, then press the mixture into the pan.
-
Let cool in fridge for at least 25 minutes and then cut into bars or squares.
