Category Archives: Cookies / Bars

No- Bake Protein Bar Base Recipe

LJ Protein Bar Base (3)

My nutrition client LJ posted this recipe from the Power Hungry blog on our Team Facebook page and I loved the simplicity of it.  With 5 ingredients (all of which you can pronounce) these bars go together in a snap.

I whipped-up a quick batch and these protein bars have been a savior for me the last few days since I have been crazy busy and have been eating on the run a lot.  An added bonus is the fact that these are really filling.

The only modification I made to the recipe was to use 1 cup of almond milk versus the 1 1/3 cups the recipe called for.  Years ago I learned to always add less liquid initially to a recipe than it calls for because you can always add more if necessary and you can’t UNadd liquid once you have too much.

Ingredient-wise I used Trader Joe’s gluten-free old fashioned oats, unsweetened almond milk, Crazy Richard’s Crunchy PB, Kirkland vanilla, and PlantFusion protein powder in Cookies and Cream.

LJ Protein Bar Base (2)

The add-ins you could include in these bars are endless:

  • Powdered PB
  • Cocoa powder
  • Shredded coconut
  • Chocolate chips
  • Carob chips
  • Sprinkles
  • Nuts
  • Dried fruit
  • A layer of low sugar jelly (PB & J bars)
  • Pumpkin
  • Pumpkin pie spice
  • Cinnamon

Here are the nutrition facts for the bars as I made them (It made 8 bars):

LJ Protein Bar Base Nutrition Facts

P.S.  If you are interested in giving Crazy Richards a try use the coupon code FITQUESTMOM for 10% off.

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Filed under Breakfast, Cookies / Bars, Dessert, Energy Bars, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Recipes, Vegan

MASALA SPICE COOKIES – Gluten Free & Paleo & Recipe Contest FOR YOU!

Masala Spice Cookies Paleo Gluten Free (12)

My life has taken some crazy turns in the last month.  My family and I are currently preparing for a move out of state.  Having spent my entire life as a Californian, I am excited for the adventure that awaits while also nervous, giddy, and BUSY!  Needless to say, I haven’t been giving Veggie Grettie much attention lately.  Did I mention that my son also broke his wrist…craziness I tell ya!!!

In the midst of the broken wrist debacle,  the folks over at Grandma’s Molasses called and provided me with some much needed cooking inspiration and a wonderful distraction to the endless lists of tasks still to be done.  I needed some time in the kitchen (my therapy) and here was my excuse.  The task I was given was to come-up with a cookie recipe using molasses that wasn’t your standard ginger snap (Put your thinking caps on because YOU will have an opportunity to enter their recipe contest!!!…see below for details).

When it comes to sugar, molasses is one of the all-stars.  I am not saying it is OK to go out and over-consume any sugar, but when it comes to molasses it actually does have some redeeming qualities.  One hundred grams of molasses contains 50% of the RDA for calcium, 95% of the RDA for iron, and 38% of the RDA for magnesium.  I dare you to find another sugar with the same nutrition profile.

When I think of molasses I think of spice and as I pondered spice my mind wandered to Indian flavors which led me to the flavor profile of this cookie.  Garam Masala and curry came to mind.  Mix that with molasses, honey, and ginger and you have one heck of a cookie on your hands; crispy on the edges, chewy in the middle, not too sweet, and packed with flavor.

I wanted to have the cookies be very thin, use a cookie cutter, and have the cookies keep their shape… a difficult feat when baking gluten-free and paleo.  I came upon this method on Primal Palate and had a good hunch it would work…it is brilliant.  Basically you spread the dough on parchment cookie that is on a cookie sheet, bake it for 5-7 minutes, allow it to cool quickly, and then roll it out, use cookies cutters, and repeat until you have used up all of the dough.  This method worked so well and for the first time I was able to use cookie cutters for gluten-free cookies and have them keep their shape.  Again, revolutionary!

Masala Spice Cookies Method

INGREDIENTS – Makes 2 dozen 2 1/4″ square cookies

1 cup blanched almond flour, packed
1 Tbs Garam Masala
1 tsp curry powder
2 tsp finely shredded fresh ginger
2 Tbs. ghee ( I make my own), room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbs Grandma’s Molasses
2 1/2 Tbs. orange honey
1 egg, room temperature

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METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (I used convection bake).

Pack the almond flour when measuring it and then place it in a bowl.  Use a fork remove the lumps from the almond flour.  Add in the Garam Masala, curry powder, and fresh ginger making sure to distribute the spices well.

Add the ghee and mix well with the fork until small lumps are throughout the crumbly dough.

Add the vanilla, molasses, and honey and stir well.

Lastly, add the egg and stir well until a batter forms.

Pour the batter onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet carefully spreading it into a thin rectangle.  Bake for 8 minutes rotating the cookie sheet half-way through.

Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow it to cool to the point where you can safely touch the batter.  Make a ball with the batter and roll it out between two sheets on parchment paper until it is 1/8″ thick.

Use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookie shapes of your choosing (I used a 2 1/4″ square cookie cutter).  Roll the excess dough into a ball and repeat the process until you have used-up all the cookie dough.

Place the cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes (rotate 1/2 way through).  Watch carefully to prevent burning.

Allow the cookies to cool and enjoy!

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For a printable version of this recipe CLICK HERE.

….Masala Spice Cookies Paleo Gluten Free (14)

1.    On Dec. 3rd, Grandma’s Molasses will launch a Facebook recipe submission contest and will showcase 12 featured blogger recipes over 12 days and celebrate recipe sharing in general, so check out their Facebook Page for details.

2.    The Cookie Exchange Recipe Submission Contest will begin on Dec. 3rd and is open to the public

3.    Entrants are required to submit an original cookie recipe that includes the use of Grandma’s Molasses

4.    One lucky winner will receive a $500 Visa gift card and the original recipe will be featured alongside the 12 featured recipes created by our esteemed bloggers

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*** I was compensated for this post, however the opinions and content of the post belong solely to me…It is so fun when a company gives you creative control and lets you run with it!

To learn more about molasses click HERE.

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Filed under Cookies / Bars, Dessert, Gluten Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes

EGG-FREE PALEO MACAROONS

Elana's Pantry Egg-Free Paleo Macaroonsphoto provided courtesy of elanaspantry.com

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Summer is here for my kids…yay!!!  School just got out and I couldn’t be happier.  I just made these Egg-Free Paleo Macaroons and they are in the oven as I type.  The macaroons came together insanely fast and I already had all of the ingredients in my pantry.  If the batter is any indication, these are going to be amazing.

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Egg-Free Paleo Macaroons

Recipe provided courtesy of Elana’s Pantry

  1. In a food processor, combine shredded coconut and coconut flour
  2. Pulse in salt, coconut oil, honey, and vanilla
  3. Dough will form a ball
  4. Scoop batter 1 level tablespoon at a time onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet
  5. Bake at 350° for 7 minutes
  6. Cool and serve

Makes 12 macaroons

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For a printable version of this recipe click HERE.

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Filed under Cookies / Bars, Dessert, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Quick, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

ONE GREEN PLANET – Chocolate Health Cookies

Check out my newest recipe on One Green Planet…Chocolate HEALTH Cookies.

Click HERE to get the recipe.

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Filed under Beans/Legumes, Cookies / Bars, Dessert, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, One Green Planet, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

SRC – PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oat Free)

My how time flies!  Somehow it is already May and brochures have started coming in the mail for summer camps, etc.  I don’t feel ready to plan the summer yet.  I LOVE having my kiddos home with me, but I am sitting here wondering what the heck happened to winter???  Time needs to slow down a bit.

A new month means another Secret Recipe Club assignment and this month’s was a good one.  I was assigned the blog, An Opera Singer in the Kitchen which got me all excited because I had already spent quite a bit of time surfing Noelle’s blog prior to even being assigned it.  We both share similar food styles (she has a fondness for vegan food) and both of us are very into the health aspects of food, so this is a great pairing for me (Click HERE to learn more about Noelle).

There were a LOT of recipes I wanted to try; Fluffy Pumpkin Biscuits, Farmhouse Veggie Burgers, Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic & Mint (A post she did for SRC), Lasagna SoupI could go on and on.

When i sat down to make my final decision I was in a sweet / crunchy kind of mood and decided to make the recipe she posted for Peanut Butter Granola Bars since it looked so AMAZING.  I have always loved peanut butter and I am a granola monster, so I knew this would be a winner.  I had a truckload of gluten-free oats in the pantry, so I thought I was all set to make this recipe and then I found out…I am ALLERGIC TO OATS!!!  I had been suspecting this for a while and during my last appointment with Dr. Galitzer I had him test me and he informed me that my body REALLY doesn’t like oats.

Despite my new found knowledge that I have an oat allergy, I was bound and determined to make this granola bar recipe because I had my heart set on it, so I lugged myself to Mother’s Market on a quest for quinoa flakes.  When I got there I was pleasantly surprised to discover Eden Organic’s Short Grain Brown Rice Flakes (Roasted & Rolled).  These puppies looked very similar to rolled oats.  Score!  They are harder than rolled oats, but that is easily rectified by adding a little bit of liquid.  I made the recipe as listed below with my notes in red.  The next time I make these granola bars (you’d better believe there will be a next time, and a next time, and a next time), I plan on adding 1/4-1/3 cup of liquid (water, fresh juice, nut-based milk) to soften the brown rice flakes even more.

This recipe was a winner…

Peanut Butter Granola Bars
makes 18 bars

1 1/2 cups rolled oats (1 1/2 cups Eden brown rice flakes)
1 cup puffed brown rice cereal
3/4 cup puffed millet cereal (3/4 cup quinoa flakes)
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 cup dried sweet cherries (3/4 cup raisins & 3/4 cup dried cherries)
3/4 cup brown rice syrup
3/4 cup Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds (organic peanut butter)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with coconut non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients.

In a small bowl add the peanut butter and the brown rice syrup. Place in microwave for 30 seconds (or heat in a saucepan on the stove over low heat…I would add the extra liquid at this point too).

Add the warmed wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well until evenly distributed.

Pour the mixture on a lightly greased baking sheet or casserole dish. Pat until evenly distributed.  I pressed the granola mixture down as evenly and flatly as I could and then placed an identical pan on top and pressed that down to compact it further and even it out as much as possible.

Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool for 5-10 minutes. Using a knife, cut into 4×2 inch bars.

NOTE – I accidentally dropped the pan when I was flipping it onto the cutting board (oops!).  The pieces that I couldn’t rescue and make into bars became granola.  I broke them up into a pan and baked them for another 7-10 minutes…delicious!!!

Cool completely and then wrap individually in Saran Wrap or store in a glass container (glass mason jar works perfect for the granola.



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Filed under Breakfast, Cookies / Bars, Dessert, Energy Bars, Gluten Free, Grains, Kid Friendly, Quick, Recipes, Secret Recipe Club

GINGERBREAD COOKIE DOUGH BITES – Vegan and Gluten Free

Gingerbread seems to run along the great divide…people either love it or hate it.  I love it!  You all know how fond I am of my cookie dough bites.  This is my gingerbread interpretation of a cookie dough bite.  I created these for a food demonstration I taught as part of NEXT week where I made my PB & C Cookie dough bites, Mexican Wedding Cake bites, and Gingerbread Bites.

As with all of my other cookie dough bites, these are easy peasy to make.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup roasted cashew butter
1/3 cup Yakon syrup
¼ cup Somersweet
4 tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
½ tsp nutmeg
1 cup pecan meal

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On the stove over medium-low, toast the pecans (watch carefully to prevent burning).  Once toasted, remove them to cool.

Place the cooled toasted pecans in the food processor and process into a meal.

Cream together the cashew butter, Yakon syrup, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg.  Now add the Somersweet and incorporate well.

Once the mixture is creamed, mix in the toasted pecan meal (I use my hands while wearing non-latex gloves).

Form the dough into small rounds (about 1Tbs. each).

Place in the refrigerator to firm-up.

The cookies should keep in the fridge for a week.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

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Filed under Cookies / Bars, Dessert, Gluten Free, Holiday, Kid Friendly, Nuts, Quick, Vegan, Vegetarian

FIG NEWTONS – Gluten Free

photo provided courtesy of elanaspantry.com

photo provided courtesy of elanaspantry.com

The other day when I was at the grocery store with my children, my son mentioned how much he liked fig newtons.  I happen to love fig newtons too.  I can remember being a kid and mowing through a whole sleeve of them myself.  Have I mentioned that I used to have a MAJOR sugar addiction that I still have to work to control?  That’s why it is so great to make sweets at home.  When you make homemade treats you know exactly what goes into them and can make healthy substitutions.  When I use stevia, coconut sugar, Somersweet, agave (which they now sell at our local Costco), or yacon syrup I do not get the crazy insulin swings that lead me to a sugar binge.

I knew I had some dried figs in the pantry at home and got to thinking that it would be a lot of fun to MAKE fig newtons with my kids.  This is the recipe we used (gluten and dairy free) from Elana’s Pantry.  Elana has been a Guest Blogger here on Veggie Grettie.

These cookies were yummy, but when I make them next time I plan on not using the lemon and will substitute with water or OJ instead.  These cookies are also very moist, which tastes great, but for fun I will be adding some gluten free flour or oat bran to the dough next time to firm it up (I will just add it until I feel it reaches the right consistency) as well as using only 2 Tbs of oil. 

INGREDIENTS – Makes 20 cookies

Filling:
1 cup dried figs
½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed (they are pretty lemony…next time I plan on using water or OJ instead)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Dough:
2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ cup agave nectar
¼ cup yacon syrup
¼ cup grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  1. Place figs in a food processor and blend for 30 seconds until they are well chopped
  2. Add lemon juice and vanilla; process until a smooth paste results
  3. In a large bowl, combine almond flour and salt
  4. In a smaller bowl, combine agave, yacon, grapeseed oil and vanilla
  5. Mix wet ingredients into dry, then refrigerate dough for 1 hour
  6. Divide chilled dough into 4 parts
  7. Between 2 pieces of parchment paper , roll out 1 part of the dough into a 10 x 4 inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick
  8. Spread ¼ of the filling evenly down the right side (lengthwise) of the rectangle
  9. Fold the dough in half down the long side –resulting in a 10 x 2 inch bar
  10. “Mend” the seam so the bar is symmetrical
  11. Repeat with 3 remaining parts of dough and filling
  12. Transfer each bar to a parchment lined baking sheet; bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes (Mine took 25 minutes to cook)
  13. Allow to cool slightly; cut bar every 2 inches to form the fig newtons
  14. Serve

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

To learn more about Elana Amsterdam click here. 

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Filed under Cookies / Bars, Dessert, Gluten Free, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

MEXICAN WEDDING CAKE BITES

I can remember the first time I tried a Mexican Wedding Cake cookie.  If I remember correctly, my mom was baking holiday cookies and got the recipe for them from one of our neighbors.  I was an instant fan.  I loved the intensely pecan flavor of this cookie and its sugar-coating.

I recently held a vegan cooking (although there was no “cooking” involved) demonstration as part of NEXT Week.  I am a Brand Ambassador for NEXT by Athena and the company put on a great event.  During NEXT week there were tons of free classes held at the Swimspot store at the Irvine Spectrum… everything from pilates, yoga, Pure Barre classes, to my cooking demonstration.  I decided to keep the cooking demonstration easy and made three varieties of my Cookie Dough Bites; PB and C Cookie Dough Bites (click here for the recipe), Mexican Wedding Cake Bites, and Gingerbread Bites.

My kids love my cookie dough bites.  Most everyone I know likes to have something sweet from time to time and these are great for those occasions because there really isn’t anything in them that is too “bad.”  Yes, you do want to make sure you don’t get too much fat in your diet, but I would MUCH rather have the fat in your diet come from nut butters than animal products.  While my version of these Cookie Dough Bites does not have the traditional powdered sugar-coating, you could definitely opt to do so.

Falling back on my simple is best philosophy, these are crazy easy to make and come together in a snap.

The Mexican Wedding Cake Bites are my son’s favorite Cookie Dough Bites, so without further ado…

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COOKIE BASE
1 cup roasted cashew butter
½ cup Somersweeet **
2 tsp Frontier vanilla flavor ***
1 cup toasted pecans (blended into a meal)
 
** As an alternative you can use sucanut, coconut sugar, date sugar, or powdered sugar
***DO NOT use vanilla extract.  Since these are not cooked, the alcohol in the extract won’t taste good.
 
SUGAR COATING
¼ cup Somersweet **
¼ tsp cinnamon

On the stove over medium-low, toast the pecans (watch carefully to prevent burning).  Once tasted, remove them to cool.

Place the cooled toasted pecans in the food processor and process into a meal.

With a hand blender, cream together the cashew butter, ½ cup Somersweet and vanilla flavor.  Once the mixture is creamed, mix in the toasted pecan meal (I use my hands).

Once the mixture is creamed, mix in the toasted pecan meal (I use my hands while wearing non-latex gloves I bought at Costco).

Form the dough into small rounds (about 1Tbs. each).  In a separate bowl, combine ¼ cup Somersweet with ¼ tsp. cinnamon.  Roll the rounds in the cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator to firm-up.  The cookies should keep in the fridge for a week.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

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Filed under Cookies / Bars, Dessert, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Nuts, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian