Strawberry Oatmeal Bars (Vegan)

Servings10

Recipe from Michaela Vais Ela Vegan

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

We thought these strawberry oatmeal bars were delightful.  Of course, the husband loved having this seasonal treat.  These had just the right amount of sweet to them.  By using mashed banana and just a bit of maple syrup, the flavor of the berries really comes through. (I followed the original recipe to the letter, with this exception… I added about ½ teaspoon vanilla to the berry mixture and ¼ teaspoon almond extract plus ½ teaspoon sea salt to the dough mixture.)

Dough:

2 cups (205 g) oats 

1 cup (120 g) almond flour* 

1 cup (90 g) oat flour 

1 small (80 g) banana, mashed* 

1/4 cup (80 g) maple syrup or agave syrup

1/4 cup (60 g) canned coconut milk*

2 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon almond extract

Strawberry Filling:

3 cups (450 g) diced strawberries

1/3 cup (105 g) maple syrup or agave syrup

2-3 teaspoon fresh lime or lemon juice

5 teaspoon chia seeds

3 teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch 

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

(I highly recommend using a kitchen scale for this recipe and measuring the ingredients in grams.) 

Preheat the oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).

Put the ingredients for the strawberry filling in a saucepan, bring to a boil, let it simmer for 5-10 minutes, and stir occasionally.

Mix all ingredients for the dough in a bowl by either using your hands or a hand mixer.

Press 2/3 of the dough evenly into a greased or lined baking dish. The pan I used measured 7 x 11 inches (18 x 28 cm).

Pour the strawberry filling over the crust.  Crumble the remaining 1/3 dough on top.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. 

Notes:

*Banana: Use banana or applesauce for a low-fat version. If you prefer a flaky/buttery soft crust, I would recommend using 40 grams banana (or applesauce) and 40 grams vegan butter (margarine).

*Almond flour: You can use any ground nuts/seeds of choice (e.g. hazelnuts, shredded unsweetened coconut) instead of almond flour.

*Coconut milk: You could use oat cream or soy cream instead of canned coconut milk.

*Other reviewers said that the bars could be frozen for up to 3 months.  Other berries can be used.  Frozen strawberries/berries will work.

Nutrition Facts (1 of 10 servings)

Calories 273; Fat 9.5 g; 1.7 g Sat. Fat; Carbohydrates 36.2 g; Fiber 6 g; Sugars 15.4 g; Protein 7.1 g

Chocolate Cherry Cake (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Makes One 9” Cake

Recipe from From My Bowl 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Oh!!  This cake!!!  It was beautiful and so delicious that everyone had a second piece!!  It looks quite fancy, but it was very easy to make.  You can make it a layer cake by doubling the ingredients.  

My friend, Juliet, the birthday girl,
getting ready to make a wish.

Ingredients:

1¼ cup (133 g) quick-cooking oats, blended into a fine flour*
⅓ cup (27 g) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 flax “eggs” (2 tbsp ground flax + 5 Tablespoons water)
1 cup unsweetened soy milk*
½ cup (130g) unsalted almond butter
½ cup (75g) coconut sugar
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
(I added 2 teaspoons of espresso powder to the dry ingredients as suggested by one of the reviewers.)
For the Cherry Jam:
2 cups of pitted cherries (fresh or frozen) (I used frozen.)
2 Tablespoon maple syrup or coconut sugar
⅛ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 Tablespoon filtered water
For Serving:
1 cup coconut whipped cream* (I whipped 1 cup of Silk Dairy Free Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative and then added ¼ cup powdered sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla.) 
Chopped and/or shaved chocolate (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease or spray a 9” cake pan with a neutral cooking oil.
Prepare the Wet Ingredients: Mix the ground flax together with filtered water to create a flax “egg” in a small bowl. Combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in the base of a medium bowl – the vinegar will curdle the milk to create a “buttermilk”. Let both mixtures sit for at least 5 minutes, then add the thickened flax egg to the larger bowl with the almond butter, coconut sugar, vanilla, and almond extracts. Whisk until well-combined.
Mix the Dry Ingredients together in a separate, larger bowl. Form a well in the center of the mixture, pour in the wet ingredients, and use a spatula to mix everything together until no clumps remain. Pour the cake batter into the cake pan and bake on the middle rack for 20-22 minutes. (If you are baking multiple cakes, bake for 23-25 minutes).
Once cooked, remove the cake from the oven and let sit in the pan for 5 minutes before loosening the edges with a butter knife and flipping onto a baking rack to let cool completely.
Make the Cherry Compote: in the meantime, add all of the ingredients of the cherry compote to a large, nonstick pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Let the cherries cook down for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set the compote aside and let cool completely.
Assemble the Cake: top the cake with a layer of coconut cream, then spoon the cherry compote (and extra liquid) on top. Garnish with chopped and shaved chocolate, if desired. Serve immediately – leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes: The recipe listed above makes one cake. If you would like to create a layered cake, double all of the ingredients (compote and cream included)
Nut Allergies: replace the almond butter with tahini or sunflower butter
Coconut Whipped Cream: If you don’t want to make it yourself you can replace it with store-bought coconut whipped topping or a vanilla frosting of your choice! You can also use a super-thick coconut yogurt for a completely sugar-free option.
Other Substitutions: Almond butter can be replaced with another nut or seed butter and coconut sugar can be replaced with brown sugar or another granulated sweetener. I do not recommend replacing the soy milk* as other plant milks do not create a good “buttermilk” due to lower protein content. This recipe has not been tested with any other flours.

Almond, Prune and Apricot Breakfast Bars (Gluten-Free)

Recipe from The Bojon Gourmet adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 12 bars

While these were named breakfast bars, I think they make a much better snack or lunchbox addition or even a lovely gift for a favorite friend.  We loved everything about these bars.  The texture is tender and chewy with a bit of crunch.  The sweetness is the right amount, due to the dried fruit and the bit of honey.  And there's a little kiss of almond and orange.   

1/2 teaspoon zest 

3 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/2 cup prunes, chopped

2/3 cup sliced almonds, plus a few extra for the top

1 1/2 cups quick oats

2 Tablespoons ground flax seed 

2 Tablespoons oat flour

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 ground cinnamon

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons almond butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey (One of the original recipe reviewers replaced the honey with maple syrup, which would make these vegan.)

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 325F.  Line the bottom and sides of an 8" X 8" square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Place the chopped dried fruit in a heat proof bowl.  Put the orange juice in a small saucepan and bring to a bare simmer over a medium flame.  Pour the hot orange juice over the dried prunes and dried apricots, stirring a bit.  Set this aside.

Spread the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Put the sliced almonds in a large bowl along with the oats, ground flax, the oat flour, salt and cinnamon.

In another bowl, put the orange zest, add the almond butter, olive oil, honey and almond extract and whisk to combine.

Add the almond butter mixture and the dried fruit mixture to the oat mixture and stir until well combined.

Scrape the mixture into the lined baking pan.  Use moistened fingers to press it firmly and evenly into the pan.  Sprinkle with the extra almond slices and press them in a bit.

Bake until the top is golden, about 25-30 minutes.  Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before removing with the parchment paper "handles" to a cutting board.  Use a sharp large chef's knife to cut the bar into 12 pieces.

The bars will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 12 bars) 222 calories; 25 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 13 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 99 mg sodium; 274 mg potassium; 4 g fiber; 12 g sugars; 255 IU vitamin A; 1.7 mg vitamin C; 54 mg calcium; 1.4 mg iron

Pistachio Poppy Seed Orange Yogurt Bread

Recipe from https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes one 8 X 4-inch loaf (12 slices)

Perhaps it’s time for a treat at your house.  If so, this delicious quick bread with do the trick with a nice cup of tea or coffee. When I made this, it turned out to be a really pretty, perfect for a tea party.  I will make this again, but will leave off the glaze since the yummy sweet glaze takes it into major dessert territory.  You can put the batter into muffin tins and make muffins for the lunch boxes.  If you freeze the bread, do not top it with glaze until after it has been thawed and ready to serve.  I love that the recipe uses whole-wheat pastry flour, honey and yogurt.  If pistachios are not available, you can make this bread with pecans or walnuts.

Wet Ingredients:

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup honey (increase to ½ cup honey if not using the glaze…this is optional)

1 ½ Tablespoons orange zest

½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

½ cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ cup chopped roasted pistachios (or pecans or walnuts)

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (or 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoons poppy seeds

Optional Glaze:

½ cup powdered sugar

1-2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon orange zest

Optional Garnish:

2 Tablespoons chopped pistachios (or pecans or walnuts)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line an 8 X 4 inch bread pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, honey, and orange zest until smooth.  Whisk in the orange juice and Greek yogurt.  Whisk in the eggs, vanilla and almond extracts.

In separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and poppy seeds.  Gently stir in the chopped pistachios.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a spoon or spatula just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Spread out evenly.  Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Cool completely on a wire rack before topping with the glaze.

For the glaze:  Mix together the powdered sugar and the orange zest.  Using your fingers, rub the zest into the powdered sugar so that it is evenly distributed.  Add 1 Tablespoon of the orange juice and stir.  If needed, add a bit more orange juice so that it is thick but still pourable.

Pour or drizzle over the top of the cooled loaf and spread over towards the sides.  Garnish with the chopped pistachios.

To make muffins:  Divide the batter between 12 greased muffins liners.  Bake for 12-24 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Nutritional Information:  According to my calculations, 1 of 12 slices of bread equals 229 calories; 3.7 grams of fiber; 31.5 grams carbohydrates; 5.4 grams protein; 13.8 grams sugars; 9.6 grams fats (4 grams saturated fat)

(Without the glaze & garnish, 1 or 12 slices of bread equals 195 calories and 3.5 grams fiber.

No-Knead Almond Brioche Bostock

Makes one loaf

Recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D. and Zoe Francois

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Oh, what a breakfast you will have when serving this lovely pastry to your guests!  This is absolutely delicious!!!  Make a batch of No-Knead Brioche dough (one batch of dough will make up to four loaves) and freeze it for when you want to make this special treat.  Thaw the dough in the fridge overnight and then follow these directions.

1½ pounds No-Knead Brioche Dough 

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature plus more for prepping the pan

½ cup almond paste

¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 large egg

¼ teaspoon almond extract

¼ teaspoon orange-flower water (optional)

¼ cup sugar plus more for prepping the pan

Zest from half an orange

½ cup sliced almonds

Generously butter an 8-inch round cake pan.  Sprinkle the pan with a dusting of granulated sugar.  Set aside.  (You can do this a day in advance and store it in the fridge until ready to use.)

Cream together the butter, almond paste, flour, egg, orange-flower water (if using) and almond extract in a food processor until very smooth and well combined.  Set aside.

Dust the surface of the refrigerated No-Knead Brioche Dough with a bit of flour.  Quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

With a rolling pin, roll out the ball into a ¼ inch thick rectangle.  As you roll out the dough, use enough flour to prevent it from sticking to the work surface, but not so much as to make the dough dry.

Spread the almond cream evenly over the rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border all around. (I use an offset spatula for this task.) Roll up the dough, jellyroll style, starting at the long end, and being sure to seal the bare edges.  The dough will be soft, so chill the log for about 15 minutes in the freezer before cutting it.

Cut the chilled dough into 8 equal pieces.  Place them evenly in the prepared cake pan so that the swirled cut edge is facing upward.  Allow the dough to rest for 1 hour.

Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350 F.

Just before baking, mix together sugar, orange zest, and almonds and sprinkle over the brioche.  (I use sparkly sugar for this, but regular granulate sugar works well too.) Bake until golden brown and well set in the center, about 40 minutes or so.

Run a knife around the inside of the pan to release the brioche while it is still hot.  Invert it onto a serving dish.  If you let it set too long, it will stick to the pan and be difficult to run out.  Enjoy this warm!

Chocolate-Almond Souffle Torte

Serves 12 to 14

Bon Appétit and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Win friends and influence people with this stunning dessert, perfect for a party.  Enjoy it dessert at room temperature if you like a creamy texture similar to that of a soufflé, or serve the cake cold if you prefer a dense, fudgy texture.  ( If you'd like this recipe or any other recipe from this blog as a Word document to print out, please email me at alice.lostrivercoop@gmail.com )

(You will need just a bit of flour and about 1 Tablespoon of unsalted butter to prepare the pan.)

1 cup (about 5 ounces) whole almonds, toasted, cooled, divided
4 Tablespoons plus 1/3 cup sugar, divided
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
¾ cup unsalted butter
½ cup whipping cream
1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

6 large eggs, separated, room temperature

1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 Tablespoons amaretto or 1 teaspoon almond extract

Powdered sugar
½ cup almond slices, toasted

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 ¾ inch-high sides. Shake out excess flour. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter paper.

Combine ½ cup whole almonds and 2 Tablespoons sugar in processor. Using on/off turns, grind nuts finely. Transfer mixture to large bowl. 

Combine remaining 1/2 cup whole almonds and vegetable oil in processor. Process until mixture is thick and pasty (consistency will be similar to that of peanut butter), scraping bowl frequently, about 3 minutes.

Stir butter and 1/2 cup whipping cream in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until butter melts and mixture simmers. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Stir in both almond mixtures. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Beat egg yolks in another large bowl until very pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat chocolate mixture into egg yolks. Fold in egg whites in 3 additions.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until sides crack and puff and tester inserted into center comes out with moist batter attached, about 35 minutes. Transfer cake to rack. Cool cake to room temperature, about 2 hours (center will fall slightly as cake cools.) (Can be prepared 4 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Beat chilled cream, amaretto and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in large bowl until soft peaks form.

I put a towel over the mixer to keep the cream from splattering. 

Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Dust cake with powdered sugar. Sprinkle toasted almond slices around top edge of cake. Serve chilled or at room temperature with whipped cream.