Copycat Clif Kid Z Chocolate Brownie Bars (vegan)

Makes 10 to 12 small bars
Recipe from Fly Peach Pie 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Delicious bars that I think tastes better than Clif Kid Zbars brownie flavor! These are easy to make in the food processor with a short time in the oven. They'll make a great addition to lunchboxes.

The bars:
2 cups old fashion rolled oats, divided
½ cup dried figs or pitted dates (I used dates.)
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder (Cacao powder can be used instead.)
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 Tablespoon maple syrup (Honey was listed in the original recipe, but then these wouldn’t be vegan.)
¼ cup sugar (I used coconut sugar.**)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon coconut oil (melted)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips.)
½ cup water

For chocolate drizzle on top:
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips.)
½ teaspoon coconut oil (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a food processor add 1 cup old fashion oats, dried figs or dates, cocoa powder, molasses, honey, sugar, salt, vanilla, melted coconut oil, baking soda, chocolate chips and water.
Blend on high, stopping and stirring and pulsing until the mixture is smooth.
Add the final 1 cup of old fashion oats and blend until smooth or to have slightly more
textured bars briefly stir the mixture so the oats retain some texture.
Empty batter onto a parchment paper lined or greased cookie sheet. (I found it was easiest to spray an offset spatula with a bit of oil before spreading the batter.)
Spread into a large rectangle about 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. (Note the batter will not fill the entire cookie sheet.)
Bake for 10-13 minutes or until tops are no longer sticky.
Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing. The pieces can be slightly molded
too so you can round out the edges of the bars if desired.
Allow the bars to cool completely before the next step.
In a microwave safe bowl, add chocolate chips (and coconut oil, if using) and melt in microwave for 30 seconds, stir and an additional 30 seconds if needed to melt the chocolate chips.
Using a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate in a zig zag pattern over each bar. (You can also place in a zip lock bag, snip the end off and make a zigzag pattern.) 
Place the bars in the freezer for 15 minutes to allow the bars and the chocolate drizzle to set. 
Store the bars separated by parchment paper in the fridge or freezer.

**While both sugar and coconut sugar are sweeteners, the key difference is that coconut sugar is derived from the sap of coconut palm trees, making it slightly less processed and containing trace amounts of minerals like potassium, iron, and zinc, whereas regular sugar (table sugar) is highly refined and lacks these nutrients; however, both have similar calorie counts and should be consumed in moderation. 
 

Blueberry Quinoa Breakfast Bars (vegan & gluten-free)

Recipe from Simply Quinoa  

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 16 bars

Healthy vegan blueberry breakfast bars with oats, quinoa, coconut sugar, ripe banana, flax eggs, and fresh berries that are vegan and gluten-free. Be sure to read some of the variations in the notes below.  These were a nice change from my usual breakfast. If you have some leftover quinoa in the fridge, this recipe is a great way to use it up. I served these by smearing some Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt in a bowl and then topping the yogurt with the bars. I added sliced kiwi to get another fruit in my day.

Ingredients
1½ cups quick cooking oats  
1 cup cooked quinoa  
1 teaspoon baking powder  
1/3 cup coconut sugar  
1/4 cup hemp seeds or pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cup mashed bananas about 2 medium
2 flax eggs (2 Tablespoons flaxseed meal + 6 Tablespoons of water)
2 Tablespoons nut/seed butter
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries (You can also use a mix of frozen blueberries and raspberries)

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9"x 9" baking sheet with parchment paper and grease the sides with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oats, quinoa, sugar, baking powder, and hemp seeds.
In a separate bowl, mix the banana, nut butter, flax eggs, lemon juice and vanilla. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients, mixing everything together until fully incorporated. The batter should be moist, but not runny. Fold in the blueberries
Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula.
Bake on the center rack for 25 - 35 minutes until the bars are golden brown and firm to the touch.
Remove and let cool completely in the pan, then remove and slice into squares (or rectangles). Store in an airtight container for 4 - 5 days.

Notes
The author found that she enjoyed the texture of the bars best after being cooled on a wire rack overnight because some of the added moisture from the blueberries was removed and she found that they were even more hearty.
You can reduce the sugar to 2 Tablespoons instead of 1/3 cup.  

You can replace ½ cup of the oats with ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut. 

You can substitute almond extract for the vanilla extract.
According to reviewers, you can also bake these in an 8”x8” pan or a standard muffin pan.

Another reviewer makes these as muffins in a standard muffin pan. 

Nutritional Information (1 of 16 bars)
Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 3.3mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1.2mg


 

Oatmeal Apple Cinnamon Cookies (vegan and gluten free)

Recipe from Food Impromptu
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 12-15 cookies

Quick and easy to make in a food processor, the cookie dough was ready to go into the preheated oven. They are chewy, moist and have excellent autumn flavors, cinnamon, apples and walnuts!  If you use gluten free oats, they’ll be a nice treat for those who can’t tolerate gluten.  

1 ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats (175g)
¼ cup coconut sugar (47g)
1 cup walnuts (100 g)
½ cup raisins (70g) 
½ cup almond butter (125 g) You can substitute another nut butter, if you wish.
1 medium apple (170g), chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt  
1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon cinnamon 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Transfer all the ingredients to a food processor and process until it reaches a coarse consistency. Please note that the mixture will be very sticky right now but don’t worry it’s all good. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and scoop 2 tablespoon of the the mixture on the baking tray. Since the mixture is very sticky at this point, grease your hands with some oil or you can simply flatten it out evenly with a butter knife to 1/2 inch thickness. Preheat the oven to 350F and bake for about 18 minutes or so. The baking time also depends on the heat of your oven so adjust the baking time accordingly. Once baked let it cool and then transfer it on to a wire rack so that the cookies do not collect moisture at the bottom and to prevent it from getting soggy. The cookies are very delicate right after it's baked, so let it cool down completely before handling. Store the cookies in an air tight container to prevent it from drying out. These cookies also freezes well, you can make a back of it and freeze it for later - a grab and go breakfast. 

IMPORTANT TIPS:  The mixture is supposed to be sticky so grease your hands with some oil or you can simply flatten it out with a butter knife to 1/2 inch thickness - the baking time depends on the heat of your oven to adjust it accordingly if needed - use your judgement - some people are not very fond of raisins but it works very well for this recipe. Once the raisins are blended with the other ingredients you won’t notice it at all - the cookies are very delicate right after its baked so let it cool down completely before handling or storing it - Store the cookies in an air tight container to prevent it from drying out - these cookies also freezes well so you can make a batch and freeze it for later - a grab and go

Nutritional Information: (1 of 12 cookies) 211 calories; 7 g fat; 0.6 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 1386 mg sodium; 33.8 g carbohydrates; 7.5 g fiber; 10.8 g sugars; 4.8 g protein; 462 mg calcium; 3 mg iron; 1062 mg potassium

Blood Orange Cranberry Fall Spiced Sangria

Recipe from Ansley Beutler of The Fit Peach

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 6-8 servings

This festive and delicious punch is perfect for all fall and winter holiday parties.  The best thing about it is that it can and should be made up to three days in advance for the best flavor.  Come party time, just add ice to the glasses, ladle in the sangria and garnish.  

For the Cranberry Reduction

2 cups cranberries

3 Tablespoons maple syrup (agave syrup, honey, or sugar will also work)

1/2 cup water

For the Sangria

2/3 cup blood orange juice (approx. 2-3 large blood oranges)

3 blood oranges, sliced (Set aside one slice for rimming glasses.)

2 cups cranberries

3 cinnamon sticks

fresh rosemary

1 bottle white wine (Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, etc.)

2 cups ginger beer

3 shots brandy (I used cognac.)

For the Cinnamon Sugar Rim

3 Tablespoons coconut sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 slice blood orange

To Garnish

cinnamon sticks

fresh rosemary 

star anise

Instructions

Add the cranberries, agave syrup, and water to a small pot and bring to a simmer on the stove over medium heat.  The cranberries should begin to pop open and become soft.

Let mixture simmer for 2 minutes then remove from heat to cool.  The mixture will thicken up during this time.

While the reduction is cooling, juice the oranges and slice the remaining into small pieces.

Once cooled, spoon the reduction into the bottom of a large pitcher.  Add the orange juice, orange slices, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and rosemary on top.

Pour the wine over top followed by the ginger beer and brandy.  Mix with a long cocktail stirrer to incorporate the cranberry reduction at the bottom.  The color should turn a darker red.  Let the sangria sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours to soak up the flavors

When ready to serve, prepare the cinnamon sugar rim mixture on a small plate.  Us an extra orange rind and run it along the rim of a cocktail glass (hold the glass upside down to prevent the juice from dripping down the sides of the glass).  Dip the rim of the glass into the cinnamon mixture to coat

Use a ladle to serve the sangria into cocktail glasses.  Make sure to grab some of the fruit.  Garnish with extra cinnamon sticks or rosemary or star anise if desired.

The sangria will keep (and get better with time) in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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.

Vegan Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

Using a bit of parchment paper with an overhang
will make it a cinch to lift from the pan.

Recipe from Vegan Richa

Makes 8 servings (using 8” X 8” square pan)

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

I love having baked oatmeal around because it makes a delicious and satisfying breakfast or snack. In the past, I’ve always baked with eggs and dairy milk.  But, I’m enjoying learning how to bake without eggs and dairy.  It just amazes me that some of the foods I love can bake up just fine and can taste just as good using only plant-based foods.  This Vegan Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal ticks all the boxes for me. It’s quick and easy to make.  It’s full of good-for-you ingredients.  It’s creamy and crunchy with just the right amount of sweetness. 

1¾ cups old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg)

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 Tablespoon finely shredded coconut

2 teaspoons chia seeds

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

3-4 Tablespoons maple syrup

1 cup non-dairy milk such as coconut or almond milk (I used lite coconut milk.)

1 teaspoon vanilla (Not in the original recipe, but it’s quite a nice addition.)

Optional Add-Ins:

¼ cup mini dark chocolate chips or chopped dates or raisins or dried/fresh cranberries or hemp seeds (I added chocolate chips.)

Topping:

1 Tablespoon pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1 Tablespoon coconut sugar

1 Tablespoon chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 365F (My oven is old and refuses to be precise, so I set mine at 375F.) Line an 8” X 8” square pan with parchment paper with a little overhang for a “handle” and give it a light spray of coconut oil, if desired.  (I did this because it’s just easier to lift and remove the baked oatmeal from the pan.)

In a bowl, add the oats, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, pecans, coconut and the chia seeds.  Mix to combine.

In another bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, non-dairy milk, maple syrup, and vanilla (if using.)

Add the wet mixture with the dry mixture and mix well.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the top of the batter with the pumpkin seeds, pecans and the coconut sugar.

Bake for 35 minutes.  Turn off the oven, but leave the pan in the oven for another 10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven.  Cool for at least 10 minutes.  Using the parchment paper “handle” carefully remove the baked oatmeal from the pan.  Cut into 8 pieces and serve.  Serve with yogurt or whipped coconut cream or maple syrup or other toppings, if desired.  (I thought it tasted great as is without any more embellishments.)

Notes:   To make ahead, store unbaked at step 4 in the fridge.  Store baked oatmeal in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.  Reheat the baked oatmeal in the microwave or in the oven for 10 minutes or so to crisp it up.  To make this nut free, omit the nuts and use coconut milk or oat milk for the non-dairy milk.  To substitute oats, use other grain flakes such as quinoa or rice.  To double the recipe, just double the ingredients and bake in a 9” X 12” pan for 40-45 minutes.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 8 pieces) 145 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat. fat); 85 mg sodium; 201 mg potassium; 20.5 g carbohydrates; 3.5 g fiber; 5.5 g sugars; 4 g protein; 3184IU vitamin A; 1 mg vitamin C; 92 mg calcium; 1.5 mg iron

Maple Glazed Spice Cake with Cinnamon Drizzle (Vegan)

Recipe from Vegan Richa

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 9 servings

This is a super moist, perfectly spiced cake to serve when autumn is in the air.  The original recipe called for a dairy-free cream cheese frosting, but I wanted to try the drizzle that I found on Vegan Richa website that was meant for another cake. This cake is delicious enough to serve with coffee at a party. Or you can also leave it plain and pop it in your lunchbox.  (There were gluten-free, oil-free, sweetening, dried fruit, and flour options for this recipe on the Vegan Richa website., but I’ve not tested those.)

Cake

1 Tablespoon flax seed meal

¼ cup water

¾ cup spelt flour

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar

½ teaspoon sea salt

1½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1/3 cup chopped pitted dates (Soak in warm water for about 15 minutes.)

¾ cup applesauce (I used unsweetened.)

¼ cup oil (I used grapeseed oil.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup grated apple, carrot or zucchini (I used apple.) Lightly squeeze with a clean towel to remove excess moisture

Glaze

1 Tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon water

Cinnamon Drizzle

1¼ cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk.)

2-4 Tablespoons coconut sugar or other sweetener (to taste)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 drops almond extract

A pinch of sea salt

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon turmeric, for color (optional)

Line an 8” x 8” square pan with parchment paper.  (I lightly sprayed the pan and the paper with oil first, but that’s optional.) Preheat the oven to 350F.  Mix the flax seed meal with the ¼ cup water and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg.  Whisk well.  Fold in the dates. (I used my fingers to “rub” the dates into the mixture so that the date pieces would be well coated with the dry mixture which would allow them to be distributed evenly.) Add the applesauce, flax seed mix, oil, vanilla and apple.  Mix to combine into a slightly stiff batter.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread the batter to completely cover the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick from the center comes out clean.  Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Carefully remove the cake using the parchment paper as “handles.” Mix the maple syrup and water together and brush over the entire cake.  While the cake is cooling, make the Cinnamon Drizzle. Mix 1 cup almond milk with the sugar, vanilla and almond extracts in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.  Add the cinnamon and turmeric, if using.  Mix the cornstarch and ¼ cup almond butter in a small bowl.  Add to the boiling milk.  Bring it back up to a rolling boil.  Take the pan off the heat.  The drizzle will thicken a bit as it cools. When the cake is completely cool, drizzle with the Cinnamon Drizzle.

Nutritional Information (1 of 9 portions of cake w/no glaze or drizzle): 195 calories; 6.7 g fat (0.9 g sat. fat); 0 g cholesterol; 146 mg sodium; 33.2 g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 14.7 g sugars; 2.8 g protein; 145 mg calcium; 2 mg iron; 440 mg potassium Nutritional Information (1 of 9 portions of glaze and drizzle) 42 calories; 1.1 g fat (0.1 sat. fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 83 mg sodium; 8.3 g carbohydrates; 0.4 g fiber; 6.7 g sugars; 0.3 protein; 93 mg calcium; 64 mg potassium