Baked Oatmeal Raisin Bars

I always try to have a batch of these (somehow chewy & crunchy) oatmeal bars baked up, they are great for snacks, or on the go breakfasts if you're in a rush. They have no sugar either so they are so much healthier than store bought cereal or granola bars. Try them as an alternative to cookies with a glass of almond milk too!

Ingredients

• 3 cups gluten free oats
• 1//2 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup (some vegans don't eat honey)
• 1/2 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a shallow square baking pan with baking parchment paper.
3. Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl, and press firmly into the baking pan.
4. Bake for approximately 35 mins or until golden brown, turning the pan around halfway through.
5. Let cool for 5 mins, cut the bars to whatever size you fancy, and then let them completely cool before storing them in your cookie jar!

Why not try out your own flavor combinations? Pecan & maple syrup? Chocolate chip & cranberry? Peanut butter & banana? The chocolate chip one is so yummy served warm & gooey with vegan ice cream for a dessert. :)

The Great Gluten Free Vegan Sandwich Dilemma

Those of you that have visited my blog before will know I've been vegan for a while, (vegetarian for even longer), but after my diagnosis, and the doctor making me go gluten free things started to get complicated, particularly in the sandwich department!

Problem 1.... The bread!
Always read the nutritional info and check the ingredients when you buy bread at the market or grocery store, because just because the packet is advertised as vegan or gluten free doesn't necessarily mean its both (quite a few gluten free breads have egg in). But there are still plenty to choose from, corn tortillas and buckwheat or millet bread rocks! Or, why not forget the bread and make a wrap using collard greens or lettuce instead?! (it's lower carb too).

Problem 2.... The filling!
When I was first diagnosed, I found it so hard to find yummy fillings for sandwiches that were both vegan and gluten free, especially as most vegan meat substitutes are made with wheat gluten. So, I have to admit, Peanut butter and Jelly quickly became my go to option. But, however yummy, my trusty pb and j quickly got boring. So here are a few other sandwich ideas I've tried out...

• Burger patty spread with hummus and salad (tastes good warm and cold). Amy's Kitchen do a great gluten free vegan 'Bistro' burger, their 'Sonoma' version is also v/g-f .
• Roasted Mediterranean vegetables, (eggplant, zucchini, peppers, onion, mini tomatoes).
• Soy cream cheese with mango or grape.
• Mashed roasted butternut squash, garlic, sauteed red onion and black pepper.
• For a variation on the classic PB and J, I love almond-nut butter, grilled banana, and my blackberry chia jelly.
• Bean Chili with grated vegan cheese.

Or, of course, there is the best kind of sandwich.... THE ICE CREAM COOKIE SANDWICH!

Hot Chocolate Banana Breakfast Quinoa

Chocolate for breakfast? Oh yes, yes, yes! This is a really yummy alternative to oatmeal in the mornings, it gives you a quick chocolate fix too... and if you're like me I need atleast 3 chocolatey hits a day!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 1/4 cup gluten free oats
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla soy/almond milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 banana
• 2 tbsps cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp raisins

Directions

1. Mash or puree the banana and set aside.
2. Put the quinoa, milk, and water in a saucepan, bring to boil, then turn down to a low heat and simmer for 15 mins.
3. Add the oats, and simmer for a further 10mins.
4. Stir in the raisins, cocoa powder and pureed banana until fully combined.
5. Spoon into a bowl, and serve warm. Yummy in your tummy!

This also tastes amazing with a tablespoon of almond or peanut butter stirred through... packs some extra protein in there aswell!  Perfect for a pre- or post- workout breakfast.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies

Happy 4th July weekend conscious foodies! My roommate's family have invited us to a sort of 'potluck' cookout (complete with fireworks...of course!) to celebrate, and as gluten free, vegan options are often quite limited, I'm making these little bites of yumminess to take with us for dessert. If you're looking for yummy gluten free, vegan recipe ideas for 4th July, these Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies are most definitely for you.

Ingredients
For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chia seed meal
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups teff flour (this is actually gluten free, I discovered it a few months ago at the market, I used brown as I thought it gave the cookies a nicer color)
• 2/3 cup gluten free brown rice syrup
• 1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract
• 1 cup almond butter (I think the smooth kind works best in this recipe)

For the ice-cream:

• 3 large bananas (peeled, sliced & frozen)
• 3 tablespoons soy milk (unsweetened vanilla would taste really good, but normal works)
• 2 teaspoons gluten free vanilla extract

To make the ice cream filling chocolate flavor, add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder. Or, if you have an ice cream maker, you could make my coconut milk ice-cream.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a really large (or 2 small) cookie sheet with baking parchment paper.
2. Stir the chia seed meal into the applesauce & set aside.
3. Sift together the cocoa powder, four, & baking powder.
4. In a small sauce-pan over a very low heat, gently warm the almond butter, as it softens add the syrup & vanilla extract. Take the pan off the heat & stir through.
5. Add the almond butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together until fully combined.
6. Roll out your cookie dough to the desired thickness, (I like mine quite thin.. a bit less than 1cm thick. You may have to adjust the cooking time) and cut into rectangles.
7. Arrange the dough on the cookie sheets, leaving a couple of inches between each one.
8. Bake in the oven for 7-10mins. Do not overbake, they should still be quite soft.
9. Let them cool, and harden slightly. If you're not assembling the sandwiches straight away you can freeze them in an air tight container or ziplock baggie, until you're ready.
10. Take the bananas out of the freezer and place in a blender or vitamix. Pulse a few times adding in the soy milk and vanilla extract as you do.
11. You can then either, if you like you're ice cream a more 'soft-servey' texture, make the sandwich cookies straight away, or you could re-freeze the ice-cream for a little while to let it firm up, like I did. I did however, sneak one 'soft-serve' style, because they looked too darn delicious!
12. I then, used a cookie cutter to get the ice cream in the same rectangle shape as the cookies, assembled it between two of them, and then used a spoon, to the neaten up the sides. Repeat with all the cookies.
13. Serve, and enjoy! YUM-my! :)

Berry French Toast

Continuing on my quest for yummy gluten free, vegan dishes for my favourite meal of the day.... breakfast/brunch! I really don't need to say much about my Berry French Toast, I'm going to let it do it's own talking. Enjoy :)

Ingredients
(serves 2)

• 4 slices of gluten free bread
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla soy or almond milk
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons gluten free vanilla extract
• maple syrup (to serve)
• 2 handfuls fresh berries (to serve) - I like raspberries or blueberries for breakfast/brunch
• tiny bit of vegan spread, I used Earth Balance

Directions

1. Add the bananas, milk, almond butter, cinnamon, & vanilla extract together in a food processor, & pulse until fully combined. If the batter is too thick, you can add more milk. 
2. Pour the batter into a large dish & soak the slices of gluten free bread.
3. Heat a large non stick skillet, & add the vegan spread.
4. When the spread has melted, carefully (gluten free bread breaks up very easily) place the soaked bread in the skillet to cook.
5. When the bottom of the bread has turned a dark golden brown (not burnt, but the darker the bread is the less likely it will fall apart), flip it using a spatula.
6. Cook the 2nd side until just turning golden.
7. Plate up the french toast, drizzle with maple syrup, sprinkle with berries and serve warm. YUM :)

Fudgey Chocolate Chocolate Banana Brownies

Because every now and then a girl just needs some chocolate, and what better way is there to indulge your sweet tooth than doing it healthily. So yummy, decadent & so chocolately it needed to be said twice :)

Ingredients

• 1 cup banana
• 2/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 2/3 cup medjool dates
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal/flour
• 2 teaspoons gluten free vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup raw cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon gluten free baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, lightly grease a square or rectangular baking pan. I used Earth Balance Spread.
2. Mash the banana, set aside. Pulse the dates in a food processor a couple of times (or chop very finely), and set aside.
3. Sift the flour, almond meal, cocoa powder, baking soda, xanthan gum & salt together in a large mixing bowl.
4. Melt 1 of the 3/4 cups vegan chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water. Add the agave nectar & vanilla extract, stir until fully combined.
5. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the flour, & thoroughly mix it in.
6. In a different bowl stir the mashed banana, almond butter and processed dates into the apple sauce. Fold this mixture into the brownie batter.
7. Fold in the second 3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips through the brownie batter.
8. Spoon the brownie batter into the greased baking pan, and spread evenly.
9. Bake for about 35-40 minutes in the oven, turning them round half way through. The brownies are ready when a skewer dipped into the centre of the brownie mix comes out clean.
10. Let them cool at room temperature for a while then enjoy! :)