Fauzia’s Everything’s Good Energy Bars (vegan, paleo)

I love these bars for so many reasons.  They are healthy and delicious, and full of fiber, protein, healthy fats, minerals, and dark CHOCOLATE!  I call them Everything's Good Bars because everything in them is good for you, and they serve as a little reminder that life is good.  These guilt-free gems take less than 10 minutes to whip up, and make a perfect breakfast on the go, or a nutritious snack for anytime of the day. Feel free to switch up the ingredients to suit your personal taste. Walnuts, ground flax seeds, dried cranberries, unsalted pistachios, and sunflower seeds would be great additions.

INGREDIENTS

8 large Medjool dates, pitted

1/2 cup raw pecans

1/2 cup almond flour, or 1/2 cup raw almonds

1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds

2 tbsp chia seeds

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

2 tbsp unrefined coconut oil

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup 63% or higher dark chocolate chips (add these at the very end)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment or waxed paper, leaving an excess on at least 2 sides so that you can lift the set bars out of the dish before slicing.

2. Place all ingredients except for the chocolate chips in a standard size food processor (mini food processors aren’t big enough for this recipe, and a blender doesn’t quite do the job).

3. Turn on and process for about 3 minutes, until it starts to come together to form a dough.If you are using whole nuts like almonds or pistachios, I recommend running those through the food processor alone to chop them up before adding the rest of the ingredients. 

4. Add in the dark chocolate chips, and pulse 3 times to incorporate, but don’t over mix.

5. Turn the mixture out into the lined dish, and press the dough down gently with your fingers until it is mostly uniform and even.

6. Gently press a clean paper towel on the top of the dough to absorb the excess coconut oil that has collected on the top of the pressed mixture.

7. Place in the freezer for an 30 minutes to an hour for a quick set, or in the fridge for 2 or more hours. 

8. Remove the entire bar slab by pulling up the sides of the parchment or waxed paper.Place on a cutting board and use a large knife to cut into bars or squares, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, although I doubt they will last that long!  They are best served cold, especially in a warm climate.  Keep them close to a cold pack while you're out and about, and you'll be set.

Tangy Coconut Date Dip (vegan, paleo, AIP)

Today we threw a good old fashioned birthday party for Nikhil and Felix, who are both January born.  The party was in the afternoon between lunch and dinner, so I put together an array of healthy and yummy snacks that all happened to be vegan, and gluten-free of course.  This Coconut Date Dip is a little treat that I whipped up on Friday afternoon with ingredients I already had in my fridge and pantry.  I served it with Granny Smith apple slices and it was a big hit at the party, especially amongst the parents.  Sweet and tangy with complex notes of warm ginger and cinnamon, it boasts a great texture that would also work well as a spread for toast or crackers, paired with strawberries or pear, or just straight from the spoon for an energizing, fiber-filled bite.  I'm not sure if my boys had a chance to try out this snack today (they were too busy having a blast with all of their pals), but I'm guessing they'd love it.  I think I'll offer it up with crackers tomorrow after school. We'll see what they say!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup dried unsweetened coconut

10 Medjool dates, pitted

3 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice or calamansi or sour orange juice

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup water

Pinch of fine sea salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with an "S" blade, and blend until a thick paste has formed.  If your Medjool dates are a bit dry or tough, you can soften them up  by soaking them in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes before adding to the food processor.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.  For best taste and texture, let your dip come to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy!

Banana Lime Magic Bars (raw, vegan, paleo-friendly)

Aloha Everyone!

It has been almost 3 months since I last posted.  Yikes!  We've had a very busy (and beautiful) spring here in Honolulu, but now that it's almost officially summer, it feels like things are starting to slow down a bit.  I created this recipe yesterday evening while my littlest one was taking an unexpected nap, and I am super excited to share it with you.  Sweetened only with fruit, these tangy freezer bars are the perfect summertime treat for the whole family, and they are so easy to whip up.  Ben and I each enjoyed one for dessert last night (they weren't ready until after the boys had gone to bed), and he loved them so much that he called them "magic."  I think you'll feel the same!

PREPARE THE CRUST:

1 cup raw cashew meal (I bought mine at Trader Joe's, but you can easily grind raw cashews in your food processor to make your own)

or use 1 1/4 cup raw pecans or walnuts and grind them in the food processor or blender

7 soft Medjool dates, pits removed

2 tbsp virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled, plus more to grease the pan

1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Drizzle a little bit of coconut oil into a dry, 9x5 inch loaf pan.  Spread it around with your fingers, then line the pan with a piece of parchment paper, allowing for extra paper on the sides (you will use the excess to pull the frozen mixture out of the pan).  The coconut oil on the pan prevents the parchment from slipping around while you're trying to line the pan.  Do your best to press the paper into the corners of the pan, making it as smooth as possible.  Don't worry if it looks a little awkward.

Place all of your crust ingredients, including the 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil, into a food processor fitted with an "S" blade, and pulse until the ingredients are all well incorporated and you have a sticky, crumbly looking "dough."  If you are making your own cashew meal, first grind the cashews, measure out exactly one cup, then add that back into the food processor with the rest of your ingredients.

Turn the dough out into your lined loaf pan, then use your fingers to press the dough into the bottom of the pan, creating your crust.  You want to get the crust as evenly thick as possible.  Put the pan into the freezer to allow to the crust to firm up, and get started on your filling.

FOR THE FILLING:

3/4 cup mashed ripe banana (I used 2 white apple bananas from my local farmers market, but regular bananas will work just as well).

3-4 tbsp fresh lime juice (you may want to add a bit more if using regular bananas, as apple bananas tend to be more tart)

1 tsp (packed) lime zest

1/2 cup raw coconut butter (I love the Artisana brand)

1 tbsp virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled

tiny pinch of fine sea salt

To prepare the filling, first mash the bananas with a fork until you reach a pureed consistency, then measure out 3/4 cup.

Place all ingredients into a bowl and process with a hand immersion blender until smooth.  You can also use your regular blender to achieve the same result.

Remove the crust from the freezer.  Pour the filling onto your prepared crust, then use a spatula to gently spread it out so that it's evenly distributed over the crust, taking care to avoid thin or thick spots.  When you cut your bars after freezing, you want them to have a uniform thickness.

Put the pan into the freezer and let it all set up for at least 3 hours (it may take longer depending on how cold your freezer is).  If you are going to leave it to freeze overnight, I suggest covering the pan tightly with plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn.

These bars are best served straight from the freezer. When you are ready to indulge, remove the pan from the freezer, let thaw for about 20 minutes then pull up on the sides of the parchment paper to remove your slab of goodness onto a cutting board, keeping the parchment paper intact.

Use a large, sharp knife to slice it into uniformly sized bars.  You can make them as big or as small as you'd like.  I cut mine into about 2X3 inch rectangles.  I think it would also be fun to make them into little 1 inch squares for smaller fingers.

Store your Banana Lime Magic Bars in the freezer in an airtight container, and separate the bars with sheets of parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.  For the best flavor, allow them to sit at room temp for a few minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Chai Spiced Chocolate Shake (vegan)

My dear friend Rani is a total foodie, and our mutual love of wholesome, delicious fare is something that we frequently bond over.  A few months ago she was kind enough to share a recipe for her new favorite breakfast shake (I think she called me specifically to tell me about this shake), and it was perfect timing because I had been feeling uninspired about my morning meals.  She described it as thick and yummy, protein-rich, and full of healthy fats. From the ingredient list it sounded so delicious that I made one for myself that same day, and I've been hooked ever since. Packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, (provided by the walnuts and chia seeds), it's the perfect solution for those mornings when I'm not in the mood for a meat and veggies breakfast, or when I'm feeling too lazy to prepare a proper meal for myself.  It's also a great snack option whether I'm at home or on the go.  Over time I have tweaked the original recipe to reflect my own personal taste, but its essence remains the same: A healthy, decadent, deeply satisfying chocolatey shake that you can feel great about sipping.  I know I do!

Prep time: 5-10 minutes Yields: about 16 oz

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk 1/2 of a ripe banana 1/4 cup raw walnut pieces 1 tablespoon chia seeds soaked in 2 tablespoons of water 1 or 2 Medjool dates, pitted (omit if you are avoiding sugar) 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 tablespoons unflavored protein powder (I use pea protein) 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon chai masala 5-7 ice cubes

Clockwise from the top: Ice cubes, soaked chia seeds, pitted dates, banana, vanilla extract, protein powder, cocoa powder and chai masala together in the dish, coconut milk, and walnuts in the middle.

DIRECTIONS:

While you are gathering your ingredients, soak the chia seeds in 2 tablespoons of water in a small dish.  This causes them to soften and form a thick gel, which makes them easier to blend, and prevents the seeds from flying up the sides of your blender.  Place all of your ingredients into a blender, make sure the cover is on tight, and process on high until smooth.  This should take just a couple of minutes, and less if you are using a Vitamix.

All of your shake ingredients in the blender.  Don't forget to add the ice cubes too!

Your thick and creamy shake after a couple of minutes of blending.  The more ice you add the thicker it will be.

Helpful tips: I use unsweetened coconut milk drink from the dairy case at my local grocer, but any milk will do.  I've never tried this with full fat canned coconut milk, but I bet it would be delicious.  If you want a nut-free shake, you can use 1/4 cup of shelled, raw sunflower seeds in place of the walnuts (Rani's original shake recipe calls for sunflower seeds).  Ground cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg would be great substitutions for the chai masala, but I would use 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and only 1/8 teaspoon of cardamom or nutmeg instead of the 1/2 teaspoon of chai masala to avoid overpowering the other flavors in the shake.  Finally, 2 teaspoons of honey would work well as a sweetener if you don't care for dates, although they are yummy in this!