Avocado Brownies

I absolutely love putting avocados in desserts!  It makes them super creamy and adds some healthy fat.  I usually put avocado in chocolate pudding but this time i wanted to try putting avocado in a different dessert, brownies!  These brownies were eaten so fast, everyone loved them!  I have to go buy more avocados to make this tasty treat again!

This recipe was adapted from here.  I made a few changes to the original recipe.  Here is how I made my Avocado Brownies:

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup GF rolled oats
• 3/4 cup black beans 
• 1 mashed avocado
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup raw sugar
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, divided (or more!)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a 9x9 inch square pan and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the ground flaxseed and water and set aside.
3. In a food processor, process the oats into a flour.  Add the beans and process until very smooth.
4. Add the mashed avocado, cocoa powder, flaxseed mixture, vanilla extract, and sugar to the food processor and blend until smooth.
5. Melt 2 tbsp of the chocolate chips in the microwave.  Add to the food processor and blend.
6. Add the salt and baking powder and pulse until they are incorporated.
7. Stir in the other 2 tbsp of chocolate chips.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to distribute it evenly and make sure it is smooth.
9. Bake for about 25 minutes.  Allow to cool before slicing.
   

I know the combination of black beans and avocado may sound unusual, but don't be scared off!  You cannot even taste the black beans, all you will taste is creamy chocolate!  And of course you can always add extra chocolate chips into the batter before baking!

This recipe yields 9 brownies.  One brownie yields approximately 128 calories and 3g protein.

Seedy Granola

I love making granola!  Since I make yogurt bowls a lot, I love adding fresh granola to each yogurt bowl for some added crunch, so I go through it quite a bit.  This is why homemade granola is so much better than store-bought.  It is much cheaper to make my own, plus I love being able to control the different ingredients I put into the different types of granola I make each time.

This granola is not one of  my favorites, I think it was more like a savory granola than a sweet granola, and I am totally a sweet snack kind of girl.  However, it was still very tasty and I love how all the nuts and seeds give this granola so many healthy nutrients!

This recipe was adapted from here:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup GF rolled oats
• 1/4 cup raw almonds
• 3 tbsp pecans
• 2 tbsp pepitas
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp hemp seeds
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 2 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, combine the flax and water.  Set aside to thicken.
3. In a small food processor, combine almonds, pecans, and pepitas.  Pulse for just a few seconds to roughly chop up the nuts and pepitas.
4. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, seeds, spices, and salt.  Set aside.
5. Grab the small bowl with the flax.  Add maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Mix together until everything is well combined.
7. Spread granola onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven, stir, and continue baking for 5-15 minutes, keeping in mind that it will continue to crisp as it cools.
8. Allow granola to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

I know there are a lot of ingredients in this granola, but it is worth the few extra minutes to mix everything together for a granola with a lot of flavor.

(Picture Coming Soon)

Based on a 1/4 cup serving, I am roughly estimating that this granola yields approximately 106 calories and 3g protein.

Pina Colada Banana Yogurt

I began this blog over a year ago as a place for me to keep my favorite recipes.  Having this collection online has been a great place to store recipes instead of having endless pieces of paper shoved in a folder or binder that can get ruined or lost.  Plus, it can take forever to find the specific recipe you want if you have to flip through endless recipes.  This blog has allowed me to easily find recipes that I have made before with just a few clicks so I can enjoy them again.  Another benefit to having a recipe blog online is I have access to it anytime and anywhere.

Pretty much up until this point, I have always recreated recipes that I have found online with minimal changes to suit my taste buds/preferences.  However, there are several recipes that I make that seem so simple that I wouldn't really call it a recipe, but I enjoy the meal/snack so much that I would love to make it again.  I have decided to start including these "recipes" on my blog so that I can enjoy some of my favorites over and over again.  Plus it might give others who stumble upon my blog some good ideas for interesting new meal or snack ideas.  This might also be helpful to new vegans or others who may just be discovering a gluten intolerance and may not have any idea of the endless amounts of food that can still be enjoyed.

Today, I have decided to share a snack, Pina Colada Banana Yogurt, that is not really a recipe, but it was a delicious combination!

Here is how I made this yogurt snack:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt
• 1/2 can 8oz diced pineapple chunks
• 1 tbsp shredded coconut
• 1/2 sliced banana
• 2 tbsp granola (Any kind will do but I used Seedy Granola)

Directions:

1. Drain can of pineapple chunks.
2. Mix together all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy!

If you like sweeter yogurt bowls, add some sweetener like stevia or agave.  Or you can leave some of the juice from the pineapple to use a more natural sweetener.  I personally didn't need any extra sweetener with how sweet the pineapple and banana were, plus I used sweetened coconut.

Once again, this is not really a recipe.  Anyone can toss together any fruits/toppings into yogurt.  Most people might find the convenience of buying prepackaged yogurts much easier to buy, but I enjoy creating my own versions and having control over the ingredients.  It really only takes an extra few minutes to mix all the ingredients together.  I hope you enjoy this yogurt snack as much as I did if you choose to try it out!

Pad Thai Sauce

Being the peanut butter lover I am I knew I would love this sauce.  Add it to noodles and veggies and this was a dinner I could never get tired of.

I do not remember where I saw the original recipe.  I actually took bits and pieces of a few pad thai sauces I saw online to create my own to suit my own taste.  Here's how I made my Pad Thai Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos
• 1.5 tbsp natural peanut butter (I used Peanut Butter & Co.)
• 1 tsp sriracha
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp ginger

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients together in a small bowl and mix with a fork until well combined.  (You may need to melt the peanut butter in the microwave for a few seconds first to help it mix with the other ingredients better.)
2. Pour the sauce over rice or pasta, beans, and veggies.

I used this sauce over thin noodles with carrots, broccoli, and chickpeas.  This is such a great meal.  It has healthy fats, carbs, and veggies!

This entire sauce recipe yields approximately 140 calories and 4.5g protein.

Cashew Cookie Bars

I love making my own snack bars, but sometimes it is very difficult to make bars that are portable.  Even though I have made bars before that I individually wrapped, if I didn't eat them straight from the fridge or freezer they would fall apart.  That is not the case with this bar.  I stored these in the fridge, but I took it as a snack during work and I was surprised at how well the bar not only stayed together, but was still firm!

When I first made these bars, I was a little nervous as to whether or not I would like them since cashews are my least favorite nut.  However, they had an amazing taste, especially paired with the cinnamon spice.  I am a huge fan of cinnamon!

This recipe was adapted from here:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup GF rolled oats
• 1 cup pitted dates*
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp mini chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life brand)

Directions:

1. In a food processor add cashews, hemp seeds, salt, cinnamon, and oats and process until crumbly.
2. Add dates and vanilla and process until well-combined and a sticky dough forms.
3. Add the coconut and chocolate chips and process for a few more seconds.
4. Remove the dough and press into an 8x8 pan.
5. Refrigerate for at least an hour or until chilled.
6. Remove from fridge and cut into 6 bars and wrap each individually in wax paper.  Store each wrapped bar in a ziplock bag in the fridge until ready to eat.

* I recommend soaking the dates in warm water for at least 30 minutes before mixing in the food processor so they are soft and mix with the other ingredients better.  Alternatively, you can heat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds to help soften them.

You can also turn this dough into bite sized snack balls instead of bars.

This recipe makes 6 bars.

One bar yields approximately 202 calories and 4.5g protein.

Chocolate Almond Butter Banana Shake

Lately when I have been making smoothies, I have been making them so thick that they can be eaten out of a bowl with a spoon with some granola, nuts, or chopped fruit on top to add some crunch.  However, tonight I was craving a smoothie that could be sipped out of a glass with a straw.  I still wanted a thick smoothie because sometimes smoothies that are too thin can go down way too fast and I really wanted something that would last and have some staying power.

I knew if I used a frozen banana I would have a great base for a creamy, thick shake.  I also decided to use some almond yogurt in place of almond milk since yogurt has a creamier, thicker consistency than almond milk.  Cocoa powder and almond butter added to this shake by giving it flavor, protein, and some staying power.

Not only are these ingredients all packed with nutrition, but when combined they make for a very tasty treat! This smoothie can be enjoyed pre or post workout, as a regular snack, as a dessert, or doubled and maybe blended with some oats to be more filling for a meal replacement smoothie.

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/4 cup non-dairy yogurt (I used plain Amande)
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp almond butter (I used Maranatha)
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder (I used dark cocoa)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Process until smooth and creamy, without overblending.
3. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
   

I know there are tons of recipes for chocolate peanut butter and banana smoothies, but this one was exactly what I was craving and I want to remember the recipe for the future. (I know I'll be making this again!)  I got the thick, creamy smoothie with the perfect amount of sweetness from the banana without any added sugar in any form, not even from extracts or stevia.


This recipe can also be easily adapted to suit your cravings.

• For a thinner shake, add more almond milk.  
• For a thicker shake, add more yogurt or banana.  
• If you like added sweetness, add almond extract (or another kind), stevia, agave, or another sweetener.
• For more flavor, add extra cocoa powder or almond butter.  
• Try a different kind of nut butter.
• Turn this smoothie into a Chocolate Banana Smoothie by omitting the nut butter.
• Turn this smoothie into an Almond Butter Banana Smoothie by omitting the cocoa powder.
• Double the recipe and maybe add some oats for a meal replacement.
• Add spinach to sneak in some extra veggies (you won't even taste the spinach).
• Omit the almond milk, blend all other ingredients together, and turn this smoothie into frozen yogurt to be eaten out of a bowl.
• Omit the almond milk and yogurt, blend all other ingredients, and it will resemble soft serve to be eaten out of a bowl.

Sorry there is no picture.  I didn't realize I would love this smoothie exactly how I made it and would want to post the recipe. But don't worry I'll be making it again soon and will definitely get a picture then.  But for now just imagine thick, creamy dark chocolate milk!

Based on using original Silk PureAlmond milk, plain Amande Cultured Almondmilk, and Maranatha Natural Almond Butter, this recipe yields approximately 288 calories and 7g protein.

PB&J Apple Oatmeal

Peanut butter goes well with so many fruits.  My favorite combination is peanut butter and banana.  My second favorite combination is peanut butter and apple.  One morning I was trying to decide what oatmeal combination I wanted and was torn between a PB&J Oatmeal or Peanut Butter and Apple Oatmeal.  I then had the greatest idea, why not combine the two?  The result?  A delicious breakfast!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup GF rolled oats
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• sea salt
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (I used Peanut Butter & Co. Mighty Maple)
• 1 tbsp peanut flour
• 1/2 tbsp jam
• 1/2 small apple, chopped

Directions:

1. In a microwave safe bowl, combine oats, almond milk, and a dash of sea salt and stir to combine.
2. Place in fridge overnight.  (Heat in the microwave for 1 minute first if you want even softer oats.)
3. The next morning, reheat oatmeal for 1 minute.  Stir in peanut butter, peanut flour, and jam.
4. Top with chopped apple!

If you don't have peanut flour, you can add an extra tablespoon of peanut butter.  I used the peanut flour for extra peanut taste (this stuff gives a strong peanut flavor that I love) and for the extra protein.  You can get peanut flour at iherb and first time users can use my code LWZ362 for a discount.

This recipe yields approximately 315 calories and 11g protein.