Chocolate Chip Cereal Bars

The new school year is in session and that means rolling out all of my favorite lunch box recipes for the kids. I have an entire chapter of my book dedicated to healthy snacks and treats that are quick and easy for road trips, picnics and play dates. This classroom favorite is loaded with healthy fats, plant based protein, fiber, antioxidants and trace minerals. Sweetened with dark chocolate and a little maple syrup, they score low on the glycemic index while keeping little bodies full of energy. 

Nuts and seeds are high in essential fatty acids which are shown to improve brain function, stimulate immune response, lower cholesterol and inhibit cancer cell reproduction just to name a few benefits. Naturally abundant in calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium, these powerhouses are essential to a healthy body. They also stabilize mood and calm the nerves.

Nurturing my family from the table is my primary focus when it comes to maintaining the quality of their health. Starting from the feet up is our method. Garden to table philosophy teaches so many primary lessons about life. It allows us to share the rewards of hard work together as we learn about the importance of taking care of our bodies and nourishing them with healthy food choices. It teaches responsibility and creates awareness about the environment and the relationships between all living things. It teaches respect as a virtue. We cultivate our lives around us and it shows. Some of our best discussions are at the dinner table as we reflect on our day and all of the beautiful food in front of us that we grew together, as a family, deeply connected by the ecology.

INGREDIENTS

1 1|4 c whole oats

1|2 c diced walnuts or almonds

1|4 c chopped cashews

1|4 c chopped sunflower seeds

1|2 c maple syrup

1|2 c crisp rice cereal 

( I used a gluten free chia|flax version)

1|2 c crushed cereal flakes

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of sea salt

1|2 c almond flour

1|2 c chocolate chips or dried fruit

1 T water 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Toast the first 4 ingredients on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Mix the remaining ingredients into a large bowl then add the cooled oats and nuts. Combine thoroughly then press it into an 8x8 inch square pan lined with parchment. Reduce the oven to 300 degrees and bake for 25 minutes. Allow the block to cool before cutting into bars or squares. These are perfect for breakfast and snacks or crumbled over fresh yogurt or with almond milk. They will keep a few days at room temperature and will remain chewy. If you want them firmer, refrigerate. You can wrap them individually in parchment paper and tie them with a string for a cute little presentation and so that they are easy to grab on the go.

ENJOY!!

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

 I have a pretty tried and true chocolate chip cookie that I've been making for ten years that is the go-to dessert in our house and everyone's favorite indulgence. It's not vegan or gluten free and that's probably why it feels so decadent. However, I have been fudging the recipe back and forth with flour substitutions and embellishments, trying to land on the perfect modification in order to achieve a healthier version that is just as popular. Gluten is something that we try to minimize as much as possible but still allow room for at times in moderation. Certainly, the nutritional profile of this cookie is far superior to the one made with flour. I used a blend of hazelnut, almond and oat flours in lieu of gluten. I prefer the texture of this one in fact, and my kids were just as happy with the result as well.

You can create high protein flour substitutes by making your own or buying them at the store. Nut flours are higher in fiber and have a natural oil content that can replace excess butter or oil in the recipe. I blended gluten free oats into a flour in my food processor. Then I did the same with whole hazelnuts. I always have almond flour on hand from making almond milk. You can read the tutorial on making almond milk and flour in this blog post here. I always use fresh, scraped vanilla bean whenever possible and of course, dark chocolate. You can use coconut oil or butter.

These are a little crispy on the outside and warm and nutty on the inside. I think they go perfectly with a fresh, almond milk latte for breakfast or a chilled glass of milk for a treat.

This almond milk latte is my favorite way to take my espresso. It tastes the very best when you make the milk while the coffee brews. The milk is room temperature and you can use the foam just like the cafes do. Don't waste the pulp! Spread it out on a sheet pan with parchment and dehydrate it to stock your pantry with healthy almond meal and flour for your next recipe!

INGREDIENTS
1|2 c oat flour + 2 T whole oats
1|2 c almond flour
1|2 c hazelnut meal
1 T flax|chia powder (optional, but recommended)
1|4 t sea salt
1|2 t baking powder
pinch of cinnamon
1|4 c melted coconut oil or grass-fed butter at room temperature
1 egg
1|2 t vanilla
1|4 c coconut sugar
1|4 c dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Mix the first 7 ingredients into a medium sized bowl with a whisk. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut oil or butter with the sugar then add the egg and the vanilla until light and fluffy. A hand or stand mixer works well for this. Combine the dry and wet ingredients and fold in the chocolate chips. Drop rounded spoonfuls onto a non-stick sheet pan. You should get 10-12 out of this recipe. Bake 6-7 minutes, then rotate the pan for another 6-7. You should smell them baking and the tops become brown on the edges. Remove and let them cool 10 minutes before devouring!

ENJOY!

Strawberries and Cream Scones

I've tried making scones before and they didn't turn out so great. I think you definitely have to recipe test more than once in order to find the right balance of ingredients, making modifications with flours, sweeteners and flavors. I've been experimenting with gluten free baking mixes lately and it's pretty tricky to get just the right texture. For this one, I used Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour and almond flour. The secret is adding xanthan gum. It behaves like gluten and binds and stretches, making the end result a little lighter. The almond flour is light and nutty and perfect for pastry. Plus, it tastes really good with the strawberries. The cream is coconut milk but you could use almond milk. These were originally vegan but I used butter. You could use cold coconut oil or a vegan butter if you wanted. I served these for a ladies brunch I hosted at my place. I also made fresh almond milk that morning which was so delicious as an addition to coffee and tea. You can read my post on making your own almond milk and almond flour here plus links to earlier posts with recipes that showcase it.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten free all purpose flour
3|4 cup homemade almond flour
1|2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1|2 cup coconut sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1|2 teaspoon baking soda
1|2 teaspoon sea salt
splash of vanilla
5 tablespoons cold butter
1|2 cup coconut milk or almond milk
1 cup diced strawberries

DIRECTIONS
Sift the dry ingredients together and cut in the cold butter using a pastry knife or pulse in a food processor. Mix in the vanilla and the milk. Fold in the strawberries. Spread a sheet of plastic wrap out on the counter and dust it with a little flour. Press the dough into a 12 inch circle and cut into 8 wedges.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake for 16-18 minutes at 400 degrees. Rotate the pan halfway through the cook time. Cool on a wire rack.

ENJOY!

Raw Almond Milk + Meal + Flour

I never realized how easy it was to make my own almond, or any nut milk for that reason, until I did it once. Super simple. All you need is a blender and a  Rawsome Nut Milk Bag.  You can also use a couple of layers of cheesecloth if you do not have one of these. But get one! Not only does this organization donates a portion of profits to The Bumi Sehat Birthing Center and Yayasan Widya Guma Orphanage in Bali, Indonesia where the bags are made fair trade.  This is an awesome sustainable ritual because you can take the leftovers and turn them into meal and flour for your pantry. They're just different textures. If you've ever tried to buy organic almond flour, it can be expensive. Meal is more coarse and obviously, the flour is finer and better for crusts and pastries. Want to WOW your next round of guests? Make a seasonal cobbler with almond flour left over from making milk and serve them together! The flavors compliment each other nicely. You can refer back to two of my favorite recipes that I blogged earlier this summer where I used the meal. The Almond Thumbprint Cookies and Blueberry Crumble Bars are both vegan and gluten free!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups of raw, organic almonds soaked overnight in filtered water and drained
4 cups filtered water
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bee pollen
pinch of sea salt
omit the honey and vanilla if you want it unsweetened

DIRECTIONS
Put all of the almonds and just enough water to make a slurry in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and slowly the rest of the water. You can add more water if you want your milk to be thinner. It's a personal choice.  Pour the mixture through the nut milk bag or cheesecloth set over a bowl or widemouth jar. Your leftover solids will be your meal + flour. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Turn your wet almond meal out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Turn once. After everything has come to room temp, jar it or put it in the food processor for to make flour. Store in the refrigerator. The milk will keep for about 5 days.

ENJOY!!