Just J.Faye

Hiking & Other Adventures

Healthy Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Bars

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I’m really into these healthy chocolate chip almond coconut bars right now.

Healthy Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Bars

They are basically all of my favorite flavors combined into one delicious treat: chocolate, almonds, coconut. Then there’s the fact that these are healthy, so I love them even more. I’ve been eating them morning, noon, and night and I don’t feel bad about it at all.

Healthy Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Bars There is no butter, flour, eggs, oil, or refined sugar in this recipe. They are gluten-free and vegan (if you use vegan chocolate chips). The surprise ingredient is chickpeas. I get that it sounds weird. It’s like that time I told you to put cannellini beans in your blondies. But hey! That worked and so does this.

Trust me.

Healthy Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Bars

In these healthy chocolate chip almond coconut bars we have the obvious ingredients: chocolate chips, roasted chopped almonds, and unsweetened coconut flakes. However, those are just the mix-ins. The base of the bars are built with chickpeas, almond butter, almond meal, and coconut sugar with a little vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder. The batter comes together in a food processor within minutes.

It’s ridiculously simple.

Healthy Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Bars

This was my first time using coconut sugar. I’ve read about it quite a bit, so when I saw it on sale at the grocery store I decided to finally buy some and try it out. Coconut sugar is basically boiled and dehydrated sap from coconut palm and has a caramel-y flavor like brown sugar. It is similar to granulated sugar, but offers a lower glycemic index, less fructose, more vitamins and minerals, and some prebiotics. I wouldn’t say it’s good for you, but is a worthy refined-sugar replacement, like honey.

With that said, if you don’t feel like splurging (because it is a tad more expensive) on coconut sugar, you can replace it with honey in this recipe.

Healthy Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Bars

Don’t worry, these healthy chocolate chip almond coconut bars don’t taste like chickpeas. And if they did, would that be so bad? Chickpeas are delicious! The chickpeas, however, do give these bars an almost butter-y texture. They are soft, not too sweet, and have hints of chocolate, almond, and coconut. I added a sprinkle of sea salt over the top for a nice contrasting flavor.

These are great for those moments you need a sweet treat and don’t want to feel guilty about it. I recommend baking up a batch and storing them in the freezer, so that you are prepared for when your sweet teeth wants control.

Try them out and let me know what you think!

Healthy Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Bars
 
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These healthy chocolate chip almond coconut bars are made with a secret ingredient - chickpeas! They are a delicious, guilt-free treat to help satisfy your sweet tooth.
Serves: 12 bars
Ingredients
  • 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • ⅓ cup creamy almond butter
  • ¼ cup almond meal
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar*
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips (vegan, if needed)
  • ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking pan and line with parchment paper
  2. Add the base ingredients (chickpeas -> baking powder) into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the chopped almonds, dark chocolate chips, and coconut flakes and pulse a few times until everything is combined.
  3. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan, sprinkle with chocolate chips, coconut flakes, and sea salt, then bake for 25 minutes.
  4. Let cool completely before slicing. These will last a few days in the refrigerator and a few months in the freezer.
Notes
*The coconut sugar can be replaced with brown sugar or honey.

Healthy Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Bars

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Pineapple Ginger Turmeric Protein Smoothie

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I’m on a major breakfast smoothie kick right now and am obsessed with drinking this pineapple ginger turmeric protein smoothie for my morning meal.

Pineapple Ginger Turmeric Protein Smoothie

The great thing about smoothies is that you can load up your blender with so many healthy, delicious things, then in 30 seconds you have a tasty breakfast that keeps you full and energized until lunch.

I love experimenting with different flavor combinations and came across one that I needed to share with you -> pineapple + ginger + turmeric.

It’s kind of amazing.

Pineapple Ginger Turmeric Protein Smoothie

Not only is this pineapple ginger turmeric protein smoothie extremely delicious, it is also packed with so many health benefits.

Let’s review.

  • Pineapples are filled with bromelain, which helps with inflammation and digestion, but it is also a strong source of vitamin C to help keep your immune system strong.
  • Ginger and turmeric are both fantastic anti-inflammatory agents.
  • Bananas are full of potassium and give the smoothie a creamy texture.
  • Chia seeds are tiny magical things packed with protein, fiber, omega-3’s, antioxidants, calcium, and manganese.
  • Protein powder gives us that extra dose of protein to keep you full throughout the morning.
  • Almond milk is a great dairy alternative that is filled with vitamins and minerals.

Pineapple Ginger Turmeric Protein Smoothie

I realize that a cold smoothie might not be what you want on a chilly January morning, but pair it with a mug of hot coffee and you’ll be alright. Plus, it’s so healthy and delicious that the extra chills are totally worth it.

If you love smoothies, don’t forget to check out this apple ginger cucumber green smoothie that I posted last year!

Pineapple Ginger Turmeric Protein Smoothie
 
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This pineapple ginger turmeric protein smoothie is full of vitamins, minerals, anti-inflammatory agents, and delicious ingredients that will keep you full and happy until your next meal.
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • ½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 scoop protein powder*
  • ½ frozen banana
  • 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
Instructions
  1. Add all the ingredients to a blender, blend until smooth, and enjoy!
Notes
* If you don't have protein powder feel free to replace it with ½ cup Greek yogurt. It will help keep the smoothie thick and filling.

Pineapple Ginger Turmeric Protein Smoothie

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almond tahini protein bites

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Welcome to 2016. We are all about the healthy food and working out now, right?

I figured.

So let’s hit the gym and have these almond tahini protein bites as a delicious pre- or post-workout snack.

almond tahini protein bites

These little balls are made up of almonds, protein powder, dates, and tahini. That’s it.

Let’s review the benefits of each ingredient real quick, because there are a lot of good things to be said.

  • Almonds. Not only are these nuts are full of vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, but they are also a great source of fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Oh, and they are delicious.
  • Protein Powder. This stuff is– you guessed it – a great source of protein. #surprise
  • Dates. These little things are rich in fiber, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants. They also serve as an awesome natural sweetener.
  • Tahini. This sesame butter is packed with fiber, protein, calcium, and B vitamins and adds such a unique flavor. This stuff isn’t just for hummus!

As you can see these almond tahini protein bites are full of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Plus they are super easy to make, delicious, vegan, gluten free, and paleo (depending on your protein powder and stance on tahini).

These protein bites are great as a running-between-errands-and/or-meetings type snack, but are absolutely perfect as a pre- or post-workout boost – before the workout to supply your body with the energy it needs to perform and after the workout to help repair the muscles you just wore out.

Sooo…uh… why wouldn’t you whip up a batch?

almond tahini protein bites

Before you go break out your food processor, I want to give a quick word on protein powders.

If you don’t have/use protein powder, you can totally leave it out of this recipe. However, if you work out and lift weights on a regular basis I would strongly recommend purchasing a one. General guidelines recommend only 10-35% of your daily calories to come from protein, but it is shocking to see how many people simply do not get enough. The amount you need varies person-to-person depending on your age, weight, sex, activity level, and goals, but having a protein powder to supplement your diet is a good idea.

There are a bunch of different types out there – milk, whey, egg, casein, soy, rice, etc. Try out different options to find the one you like best. Lately I’ve been leaning towards the plant-based powders like Vega and Sunwarrior.

I’m not recommending that you down a protein shake morning, noon, and night, but rather to use one as a supplement if you don’t fulfill your protein needs through whole foods. I’m not a registered dietician. That’s just my opinion.

almond tahini protein bites

Was that a rant? Idk.

Anwaysssssssss these are good, make them!!

almond tahini protein bites
 
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These almond tahini protein bites full of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making them perfect for a pre- or post-workout snack.
Serves: 8 bites
Ingredients
  • ⅔ cup almonds
  • ½ cup vanilla protein powder
  • 7 dates, soaked in water
  • ¼ cup tahini
Instructions
  1. Process almonds for 3-4 minutes until it looks like a coarse powder. Add in the protein powder and pulse for a few times. Put in a separate bowl.
  2. Add dates and 2 tablespoons water to the processor. Process for a minute, then add the tahini and process for 2 more minutes, stopping to scrap down as needed. It will form a thick paste.
  3. Add back in the almond and protein powder mix, process until well combined.
  4. Form into balls and store in an airtight container in the freezer.
Notes
If you don't use a protein powder you can omit it from the recipe; however, you may want to add honey, maple syrup, or vanilla extract to sweeten them up a bit.

almond tahini protein bites

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Guilt-Free Tahini Brownie Bites (v, gf-o)

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I was in Seattle this past weekend visiting my best friend. We celebrated her birthday, explored the city, and were so happy to be reunited after a crazy 2.5 months of not seeing each other.

The great thing about a best friend (or any really good friend for that matter) is that you can pick up right where you left off and 2.5 months can seem like it had only been 2.5 hours. We all need people like this. People who get you when you don’t make sense, who support you when you’re feeling a little unstable, who laugh with you at stupid things that no one else things is funny, and who make you amazing Powerpoint weekend itineraries. It’s just the best.

Amiright?

tahini brownie bites

Alongside of having a best friend and group of people you can forever count on, it’s also good to have chocolate.

And chocolate gets even better when it comes in this guilt-free tahini brownie bite form.

tahini brownie bites

These little friends are made of a chia seed egg, oats, salt, cocoa powder, tahini, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and almond milk. This is why we can call them friends; no bad influences in sight.

I know that chocolate and peanut butter is like the ultimate BFF combo, but the mix of chocolate and tahini is pretty dern good too. Plus, they are vegan and can easily be made gluten-free, if that is what you need.

These bites will be there for you when you need a mid-afternoon snack or a post-dinner dessert. They are perfect for moments when you aren’t quite ready to indulge, but are craving a sweet treat that won’t wreck your week.

This is a good friendship to have.

tahini brownie bites

Plus, they are easy to make! You just throw everything into a food processor and let it whiz away for a bit. Divide the batter into a 24-cup mini muffin tin and bake for 8ish minutes. Then eat, enjoy, and go meet up with your friends.

They will stay fresh in an air tight container for a few days, but you can also store them in the freezer. I love topping mine with a little bit of tahini, but almond and sunflower butter tastes great too.

So yeah, these tahini brownie bites are guilt-free and good friends to have!

And now some Seattle pictures.

Seattle weekend

We kicked off our Saturday with brunch at Tallulah’s and then went on a hike around Rattlesnake Lake. From there we belted out some karaoke at Rock Box, ate dinner at Tin Table, and had ice cream at Molly Moon’s.

On Sunday we grabbed coffee at Stumptown (!!), walked around Pike Place Market, ate some chowder, and enjoyed a beer at Fremont Brewing. Then it was time to part ways and go back to Denver. Weekend over. Sigh.

Seattle weekend

But you know what? It was exciting to fly back into Denver. I’m still getting used to the fact that I live here now, not Minneapolis. So strange! I like it 🙂

Guilt-Free Tahini Brownie Bites
 
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These tahini brownie bites are easy to make, delicious, and totally guilt-free!
Serves: 24 bites
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats (gluten-free if needed)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ⅓ cup tahini
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • ⅓ cup tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons almond milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a mini muffin tin.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the water and chia seed meal. Set aside for at least 5 minutes.
  3. Add the oats and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the oats reach a flour-like consistency, but there can still be some bigger pieces.
  4. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth, 2-3 minutes. Add 2-3 tablespoons of almond milk if the batter seems thick.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the mini muffin cups, about a heaping teaspoon.
  6. Bake for 8-9 minutes, then let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
You can substitute the chia seed egg for a flax egg if you prefer. A real egg would probably work as well!

tahini brownie bites

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Cucumber Watermelon Salad

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Oh hey.

Hi.

I’m back.

cucumber watermelon salad

I went on vacation to Peru.

Vacation = no work.

Vacation = no blogging.

Vacation = chilling in Cusco, hiking the Inca Trail, freaking out over Machu Picchu, and walking around Lima.

One day some day soon I will tell you all about it.

BUT FIRST, this cucumber watermelon salad.

cucumber watermelon salad

If cucumber watermelon salad doesn’t scream summer to you, then I don’t know what does.

Ice cream, maybe?

Probably, but let’s scream about salad too.

cucumber watermelon salad

I made this salad when a couple of girlfriends and I went to Red Barn Farm for pizza night. It seems like it was forever ago, but I still remember how delicious this salad (and that pizza!) was.

The sweetness of the watermelon is balanced out with peppery arugula and salty feta cheese. Then there is the cucumber for a nice crunch and the herbs for an extra fresh surprise. Go ahead and double it. Maybe even quadruple it.

Plus, it’s beyond easy to throw together, especially if you take the lazy route and buy the pre-cut watermelon. No one will judge you!

I won’t anyways.

I hope you try it out and become as obsessed with it as I am!

cucumber watermelon salad

Cucumber Watermelon Salad
 
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This cucumber watermelon salad is perfect for summer picnics! It's light, refreshing, and super easy to throw together. It can easily be doubled or quadrupled to feed a crowd!
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 cups watermelon, cubed
  • 1 small cucumber, diced
  • 2 large handfuls arugula
  • 2 ounces feta cheese
  • ½ cup fresh mint and/or basil
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve and enjoy!

 

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Almond Butter Trail Mix Cookies

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Almond butter and trail mix got married. Then they had two dozen children. These are their children:

almond butter trail mix cookies

Almond butter trail mix cookies.

Aren’t they beautiful?

All they had to was combine with an egg and some brown sugar. Then BAM! these cookies were born.

And then this blog post got a little awkward so I’m ditching this analogy right… meow.

almond butter trail mix cookies

So these cookies! They are so easy to make. I made them the hard way and they were still easy.

The “hard” way = make your own almond butter and mix your own trail mix.

The “easy” way = buy almond butter and trail mix at the store.

No matter which path you tread you’ll end up with delicious cookies and that’s the most important part. Gotta love that salty-sweet combo.

almond butter trail mix cookies

And you know what? As far as cookies go, these aren’t so bad for you. They are primarily made up of healthy, whole ingredients (nuts, seeds, egg), but we throw in some brown sugar to make them a little more of an indulgence.

Live a little.

They are naturally gluten-free, so if your body hates gluten it will love these!

almond butter trail mix cookies

These almond butter trail mix cookies would be great companions for when you go camping. They seem like very outdoorsy-type cookies to me. Maybe because they have the word “trail” in them? IDK.

I did bring them along to a picnic and they were good. I ate them inside and they were still good. I recommend trying both out!

 

almond butter trail mix cookies

Almond Butter Trail Mix Cookies
 
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These almond butter trail mix cookies are basically just almond butter and trail mix with a few other ingredients. They are super simple to make! You can make your own almond butter and trail mix or buy your favorite at the store.
Serves: 2 dozen
Ingredients
  • 2 cups almonds
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup raisins
  • ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
  • ⅓ cup salted sunflower seeds
  • ⅓ cup roasted, salted peanuts
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Toast almonds in the oven for 7-10 minutes (oven doesn’t have to be fully pre-heated at this point) until toasted and fragrant. Let cool for a few minutes.
  3. Place almonds in a food process and process for 5-10 minutes until it becomes smooth almond butter. You may have to stop it every so often to scrap down the sides. Once almonds have reached the desired consistency transfer to a bowl. Make sure this is about to room temperature before mixing with the other ingredients. It will make the dough easier to handle.
  4. Add the egg, brown sugar, baking soda, and vanilla extract. Stir until completely combined.
  5. Stir in the raisins, dark chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, and peanuts.
  6. Roll dough into balls.
  7. Optional step: refrigerate dough for 10-15 minutes before baking. This will result in denser cookies. If you don’t refrigerate they will spread a bit and will be thinner and crispier. They will be delicious either way!
  8. and place on the cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
You can use store bought almond butter rather than making your own. Use 1 cup.
You can replace the raisins, chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, and peanuts with 1⅓ cups of your favorite trail mix.

almond butter trail mix cookies

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