Healthy Banana Cranberry Oat Bars

Healthy Banana Cranberry Oat Bars
Ingredients:

1/4 cup almond milk (or other)
1/2 cup Sucanat or brown sugar
1 tbsp ground flax seed
1/4 cup coconut oil (or other light tasting oil), melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 medium very ripe bananas
1/3 cup cranberries or raisins
1.5 cups regular oats
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup whole wheat flour (or other flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8th tsp kosher salt


Directions: Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8 inch square pan with parchment.

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, ground flax seeds, soymilk, oil, and vanilla. Whisk together.

Cut the bananas into chunks and stir into the wet mixture. Grab a fork or potato masher and mash the banana into the wet mixture. It is ok if some small chunks remain. Stir in the cranberries or raisins. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix your dry ingredients. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir well. Scoop the granola batter into the pan. Smooth out with a spoon or hands and press it down firmly.

Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes until the edges begin to golden and it is slightly firm to touch. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack and cooling completely. Slice into 8-10 bars.

Fruit and Nut Energy Bites

Fruit and Nut Energy Bites
Ingredients:

1/3 cup whole-grain Kamut flour (or all-purpose, whole wheat, etc)
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup Sucanat or light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts (can also use pecans, hazelnuts or almonds), chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries
12 Medjool dates (approx 1 cup chopped dates), pits removed and chopped (or figs, and/or prunes)
1 cup dried apricots, cut into bite size pieces
1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water)
1 tbsp almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions: Preheat oven to 325F. Line a square pan (8 or 9 inch) with parchment paper across both sides for easy lifting. In a small bowl mix together the flax egg and set aside.

Chop and toast the walnuts for 8-9 minutes at 325F. Remove from oven and set aside. Toasting the nuts really brings out the flavour so you don’t want to skip this step.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the walnuts and dried fruit. Make sure the nuts and dried fruit are all coated with the flour mixture.

Mix the vanilla into the flax egg after it has thickened up after about 10 minutes.

Add the flax egg mixture and the 1 tbsp almond milk to the fruit and nut mixture and mix well. Spread into the pan, pressing with fingers to even it out. I used a pastry roller too.

Bake for about 33-35 minutes at 325For until golden in colour. Remove from pan and allow to cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Now transfer back into the pan and placein freezer to set for 10 minutes. Remove from pan once again and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Now slice the bites up with a sharp knife. Makes 16-20 bites depending on how large you make them. I made them smaller as they are very dense energy wise.

Tropical Lemon Cranberry Coconut Chia Bars

Tropical Lemon Cranberry Coconut Chia Bars

Packed with chia seeds, dried cranberries, pistachios, and lemon, these bars are chewy, light, and tropical. I like to think of them as a tropical macaroon bar. They also make a perfect breakfast when you are running out the door!
Inspired by Navitas Naturals.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons chia seeds
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approx 1.5 lemons)
1.5 cups regular oats, ground into a flour in food processor
1/2 cup regular oats (not ground)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1.5 cups unsweetened shredded coconut + additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup Agave nectar
4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup pistachios
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the chia seeds and lemon juice. Set aside to gel up while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Take your 1.5 cup of oats and process them in food processor until a flour forms.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the oat flour (regular oats processed into a flour), baking powder, 1/2 cup regular oats, kosher salt, lemon zest, dried cranberries, pistachios, and shredded coconut.
4. In another small bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, applesauce, and agave nectar. Mix in the gelled up chia seed mixture until combined.
5. Add wet to dry and stir well until blended. It will take a while to mix it thoroughly. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and spread out smoothly with a spatula. Sprinkle additional coconut on top before baking.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350F until golden around the outer edge. It will very lightly spring up when pressed.
7. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack for about 30 minutes. Cut into 16 squares. Approx 200 calories per square.

Smoothies and Muffin Tops!

Post-Run Berrylicious Smoothie
Serves 1 (about 2 cups)

Ingredients:

1 large frozen banana, chopped into chunks
1 tbsp chia seeds
1.25 cups Almond Milk
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/4 cup frozen blueberries


Directions: Add Almond milk into blender followed by the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth. Add sweetener if preferred. Serves 1 (about 2 cups).




Oil-Free Apple Pie Muffin Tops
Soft, and chewy with a mouth-watering Apple Pie flavour thanks to the big chunks of apple, walnut pieces, hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, and dash of fresh lemon juice. They are just like biting into a Muffin, so Eric promptly named them ‘Muffin Tops’, but don’t worry they are easy on the waistline! They don’t contain a lick of oil or vegan butter, but are still incredibly moist thanks to the cooked apple mixture and mashed banana.
Yield: About 17 Muffin Tops
Ingredients:
Apple Pie Mixture
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled (1 chopped, 1 grated)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Pinch of kosher salt (optional)

Dry Ingredients:
1 + 1/4 cup whole grain spelt flour
1 cup regular oats
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg (1/8th tsp)

Wet Ingredients:
1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water), mixed together
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup almond milk
1/3 cup mashed banana (1 ripe medium sized banana)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick mat. Set aside. Mix your flax egg together (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water) in a bowl and set aside.
2. Peel two granny smith apples. Take 1 apple and finely grate it. Now take the other peeled apple and chop it into 1 inch pieces. Add both to pot along with 1/4 cup pure maple syrup and 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice. Stir. Cook over medium-low heat while you prepare the rest of the ingredients, for about 5-10 minutes. Watch closely and reduce heat as necessary so you don’t burn it.
3. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix your wet ingredients: vanilla extract, almond milk, mashed banana, and gelled up flax egg. Whisk well.
4. When apple mixture has cooked and softened for about 5-10 minutes, add it to the wet ingredients and stir well. Now pour the wet mixture onto the dry mixture and stir well. It will take a bit of elbow grease to get the mixture fully mixed, but not to worry.
5. Scoop 2 tbsp or a bit more for each Muffin top, leaving about 1.5-2 inches between each. Do not press the mixture flat. Bake for 14 minutes at 350F or until slightly golden in colour, but still soft. Please note that these cookies should be soft and do not get crisp or firm. They have the texture of a muffin.
6. Cool on pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Makes about 17 Muffin Tops.
Nutritional info: (per cookie, makes 17): 105 kcals, 3 grams fat (0 sat fat), 19 grams carbs, 2 grams fibre, 8 grams sugar, 2 grams protein.