Tag: gluten free

Maca Energy Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free and Paleo)

Melissa King 136 Comments

Maca Energy Bars.  When you start reading all about eating healthy, there are certain foods that come up.  Kale, chia seeds, goji berries and maca are just some of them.  I was curious about maca root powder, so I had to get a bag to try out.

It is pretty pricey, but it lasts a long time.  Kind of like the chia seeds. Maca root is a tuber, kind of like a potato.  It is very well known as a natural energy booster.  It can also help with hormonal issues such as menopause and fertility.

Maca is rich in B vitamins as well.  So I decided to make an energy bar with it.  This energy bar is not only vegan, but grain free and gluten free too.

 

Maca Energy Bars

Maca Energy Bars

Maca Energy Bars

print shopping list
Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 10 min

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a food processor , grind the almonds into a course consistency. 
  2. Add them to a bowl with the sunflower seeds, maca powder, flax meal, pepitas, chia seeds and salt. 
  3. In a saucepan, combine the maple syrup, almond butter and coconut oil. 
  4. Mix until all are well combined. 
  5. Add it to the bowl with the dried ingredients. 
  6. Tear a sheet of parchment slightly bigger than an 8X8 pan .
  7. Line an 8X8 pan with the paper. 
  8. Spread in the mixture and pack down tight . 
  9. Place in the fridge to set.  About 1 hour.

by

Recipe Notes

I got 8 bars out of my batch. Store them in the fridge or even freeze them for longer storage. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

Melissa King 134 Comments

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats.  My mind is buzzing with all kinds of new pumpkin recipes!  Naturally, I had to do one with overnight oats.

My favorite breakfast lately is overnight oats. So easy.  Even my daughter can make these.  You can make up 5 at a time for healthy breakfasts all week long.  No cooking even required!

 

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

In fact, my daughter and I filmed a video on how to make these.   Here it is.  For more videos, you can check out my You Tube Channel.

It’s a great recipe to try with your little ones.  If you like a smooth oatmeal, use rolled oats.  If you like a crunch to your oatmeal, use steel cut oats.

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

print shopping list
Prep Time 5 min

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Pour all the ingredients into a jar and mix very well.  I make 5 at a time and they last all week!  Great for those busy mornings.  I think these would also be awesome with some chopped pecans too.  Enjoy!

by

Apple Spiced Refrigerator Jam

Melissa King 47 Comments

You need to try this Apple Spiced Refrigerator Jam.  Everyone likes a little jam once and awhile.  Most store bought jams contain too much processed sugar.

Did you know you can easily make your own jam recipe without processed sugar, pectin or canning?  I already have Blueberry Chia Jam on the blog.

Since it’s almost fall, I thought I would make one that incorporated those flavors.  This apple spiced jam recipe came out great.

 

Apple Spiced Refrigerator Jam Watermark

This is it and it couldn’t be any easier!  I used chia seeds to help gel up the spread.  This will literally take minutes to make.  Spread it on toast, swirl it in yogurt, or even use it as a pancake topping!  It would be great in overnight oats as well.  Yum!

Apple Spiced Refrigerator Jam

Apple Spiced Refrigerator Jam

print shopping list
Prep Time 10 min Serves 8 oz.     adjust servings

Ingredients

  • 2 apples peeled and cored (I saved the peels because my daughter likes to snack on them. Any apples will do. I used gala.)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 2 T maple syrup (This is optional. Taste the mixture and if it's not sweet enough, add the syrup.)
  • 2-3 T chia seeds

Instructions

  1. In the food processor , blend up the apples.
  2. Then add in the remaining ingredients and mix well.
  3. Put the jam in a covered container and set it in the fridge to set up. Takes about 30 minutes to an hour.

by

Recipe Notes

This made 8 oz of jam. I store mine in mason jars , but you can use any container. It should last a few weeks in the fridge and you can also freeze it for longer storage. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spiced Ice Cream

Melissa King 95 Comments

Oh yes.  Pumpkin Spiced Ice Cream.  You knew the pumpkin recipes would be coming!    Since it’s still kind of warm here in Texas, I thought I would start off with a cool pumpkin treat: pumpkin spiced ice cream. This pumpkin spiced ice cream is quite good, easy to make, and easy to store.

pumpkin ice cream watermark

Much to my surprise, my kids loved this.  They couldn’t stop eating it!  Even my daughter Meadow, who claims to hate pumpkin, ate this up.  If you don’t have an ice cream machine, you can make this recipe into popsicles using these molds.  For those of you wondering if this tastes like coconut, I can tell you that it doesn’t!  Since there are so many spices in here, that drowns out most of the coconut flavor you would normally get.

Pumpkin Spiced Ice Cream

Pumpkin Spiced Ice Cream

print shopping list
Prep Time 20 min Serves 4 servings     adjust servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Throw all ingredients in a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Pour contents into an ice cream machine and turn on.
  3. Should take about 15-20 minutes.
  4. Remove and serve.

by

Recipe Notes

The ice cream will have a soft serve consistency. If you like a harder ice cream, put it in the freezer for an hour to firm up. If you don’t have an ice cream machine , you can make popsicles using these molds . The recipe makes about 4 servings. Enjoy!

Pumpkin ice cream

Chocolate Peppermint Bites

Melissa King 79 Comments

My husband was a huge fan of junior mints.  They are kind of off limits now that he is vegan and eats no processed foods.  So I decided to try and make a minty treat he could enjoy. Chocolate peppermint bites.  These Chocolate Peppermint Bites came out great, and you can think of them like a a homemade junior mint recipe!

chocolate peppermint bites watermark 2

I think he was pretty pleased with the way these turned out.  They are so easy to make too.  Just a few minutes to throw together and then some time to chill in the fridge.  I rolled mine into big balls, but you can do bite sized ones as well.  These would be a perfect dessert for holiday parties too!

Chocolate Peppermint Bites

Chocolate Peppermint Bites

Chocolate Peppermint Bites

print shopping list
Serves 12 large peppermint balls     adjust servings

The perfect treat for holiday parties!

Ingredients

    For the balls

    For the chocolate coating

    Instructions

    1. In the food processor , mix the shredded coconut and the dates.
    2. Once they are blended, add in the peppermint extract and milk.
    3. Carefully roll the mixture into balls. It will be loose and feel like it doesn’t want to stick together, but trust me, it will firm up in the fridge.
    4. Set the balls into a small baking sheet covered with parchment paper .
    5. Put the balls in the fridge to chill. I waited about 30 minutes.
    6. While the balls are chilling, make the chocolate mixture.
    7. Heat all the chocolate ingredients in a saucepan , and stir until smooth.
    8. Using two forks, roll each ball in the chocolate mixture and set back on the baking sheet .
    9. Once done with all the balls, place them back in the fridge to set up.

    by

    Recipe Notes

    I got about 12 large balls out of my batch. You can store them in the fridge or freezer. Enjoy!

    Coconut Vanilla Overnight Oats

    Melissa King 123 Comments

    Coconut Vanilla Overnight Oats.  Oh. My. Gosh.  This overnight oats recipe may be my most favorite so far.  If you love my Coconut Cream Larabars, you will love these overnight oats too!

     

    coconut vanilla overnight oats

     

    Coconut butter just makes everything a little better.  It is so rich and delicious!  I actually didn’t use cranberries in my recipe, I just thought the color was great for the photo. I may try adding them to the recipe next time. Raspberries would be a nice addition too.

    I love using steel cut oats in my overnight oats, because I like the crunch.  If you like a smoother oatmeal, feel free to use rolled oats instead.  Both will work out fine in this easy overnight oats recipe.

    Coconut Vanilla Overnight Oats

    Coconut Vanilla Overnight Oats

    print shopping list
    Prep Time 5 min

    Ingredients

    Instructions

    1. Throw all ingredients in a jar and mix very well.
    2. Store in the fridge overnight and enjoy the next morning.

    by

    Recipe Notes

    I make 5 of these at a time and they hold up well. However, if you want to add fresh fruit, add it in right before you eat it. Everything else is fine to sit in the fridge. Enjoy!