Just J.Faye

Hiking & Other Adventures

Healthy Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Bars

by

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
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
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

Share this:

almond tahini protein bites

by

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
 
Print
Prep time
Total time
 
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

Share this:

Almond Butter Cannellini Blondies (gluten free, vegan)

by

Almond Butter Cannellini Blondies.

Wait.

What?

Cannellini blondies.

almond butter cannellini blondies

I get it. It’s weird. Stay with me.

These blondies were never on my radar. I never thought about them nor did I ever dream about them. They just kind of happened.

What I originally wanted to do was make black bean brownies. You have heard of those before, right? The surprisingly delicious and healthy little faux brownies made with black beans and cocoa powder (among a few other things). That was my plan.

But when I went to go grab a can of black beans from my cupboard, I *GASP* didn’t have any. My inventory (which I manually track in my memory) must have been off. Whoops.

(insert nerdy supply chain joke about inventory discrepancies)

I spotted a can of cannellini beans, shrugged my shoulders, and switched directions. If brownies can be made with black beans, then blondies could be made with cannellini beans, right?!

Well…

almond butter cannellini blondies

Sure.

These cannellini blondies aren’t made with butter, flour, egg, or lots of sugar. Instead there is coconut oil, cannellini beans, flax meal, maple syrup, and only two tablespoons of brown sugar. They also have some almond butter, walnuts, and dark chocolate chips, because those things just seem to be involved in everything that I do.

The texture is a lot softer and resembles more of a moist quick bread than a regular blondie (like these brown butter bourbon blondies or these brown butter ginger peach blondies). The taste is, well, different. No, they don’t taste like beans. They taste like a tasty sweet treat that I don’t have to feel guilty about. Not even if I stress eat two in the same sitting.

almond butter cannellini blondies

But who even stress eats? I DO.

I’m running a marathon TOMORROW and kind of have been nonchalantly internally freaking out about it all week. I think I’m in denial that it’s even happening. After doing a bulk of my runs solo and struggling a lot with my performance this training season, it just doesn’t feel like I’ve worked hard enough for the marathon to actually be here. Plus, my recently diagnosed arrhythmia hasn’t helped the situation. I guess my heart beats to it’s own awkward drum?

The Cardiologist gave me a Zio patch (like this) and told me I could run it. I am thankful that none of my other muscles or bones are injured and that my whole family is driving up to Duluth to cheer me on and that everyone else in the Calhoun Beach Run Club is totally going to kill it and that the experience as a whole will be really fun and rewarding.

Annddddd…. Back to the blondies. I am thankful for these too. Did I mention they are gluten-free and vegan (if you use vegan-friendly chocolate chips)? Neat!

I guess I really shouldn’t even call them blondies, but I’m going to anyways. What’s done is done.

almond butter cannellini blondies

Have cherry walnut butterscotch blondies when you ate healthy salads all week and want to delight yourself by eating something sweet and sinful. Have these almond butter cannellini blondies when you want a healthy little treat during the week so that you can save your big indulgence for Friday night pizza.

Different situations, but both are great ideas.

almond butter cannellini blondies

So yeah, cannellini blondies are real and I like them… for regular healthy enjoyment and for stress eating.

Now I’m headed up to Duluth to get ready for a 26.2 mile run tomorrow. Wish me luck??

almond butter cannellini blondies

Almond Butter Cannellini Blondies (gluten free, vegan)
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
These almond butter cannellini blondies might seem strange, but they are a healthy little treat. They are gluten free and vegan (if using vegan-friendly chocolate chips) and easy to make. These are perfect for a mid-day snack or for a post-dinner dessert without all the guilt of a classic blondie.
Serves: 9 blondies
Ingredients
  • 2 ½ tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon flax meal
  • 15 oz cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ almond butter
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips (use vegan chocolate chips if needed)
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350° F. Take two pieces of parchment paper and place them perpendicularly in an 8x8” baking pan. Leave some overhang so that the blondies can easily be lifted out of the pan. Lightly grease with butter or oil.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the water and flax meal. Let sit for about 5 minutes. This is your flax egg.
  3. Add all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor excluding the walnuts and chocolate chips. Process until smooth, 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add the walnuts and chocolate chips, reserving a little bit of each to sprinkle on top. Process a few times so that they get mixed into the batter and break up a little bit.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Top with the remaining nuts and chocolate.
  6. Bake for 26-32 minutes. It will be will difficult to tell when these are done.
  7. Let these cool completely in the pan before removing and cutting.
  8. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for a few days. I personally like them stored in the refrigerator and I bet they would hold up well in the freezer.

almond butter cannellini blondies

Share this:

Healthy Almond Banana Bread Bites (vegan, gluten-free, paleo)

by

Sometimes it’s ok to eat ugly food, you know? Not every.single.thing you put in your mouth has to be pinterest-perfect gorgeous. These almond banana bread bites are perfect examples.

healthy almond banana bread bites So, no. These little guys aren’t the most attractive things I have ever made, but it’s ok and I will give you three reasons why it is ok:

  1. They are good for you. These are healthy, vegan, gluten-free, paleo “cookies” full of good for you ingredients.
  2. They are super simple. These bites can be made entirely in a food processor and only require 6 ingredients, one of which is water.
  3. They are, most importantly, delicious. They taste like little bites of banana bread (which leads them to be very appropriately named).

Is that enough to convince you to dust off your food processor and find a ripe banana?

Good gracious, I hope so.

healthy almond banana bread bites These healthy almond banana bread bites are perfect for so many occasions: breakfast, morning snack, lunch dessert, afternoon snack, afternoon snack dessert, pre-workout snack, post-workout snack, dinner dessert, mid-night snack. Basically, they are perfect for any time of day.

Now that I am a few weeks into marathon training, I am hungry all of the time. It’s key to have something that I can grab for a quick tie-me-over-until-my-next-meal snack and I already overdose on raw fruits and veggies as it is. Or I’ll just round out my handful of carrots with one of these guys.

These bites seem like sinful cookies, but they are not. They seem like a guilty treat, but they are not. They seem ugly, but they… are.

Looks are not everything, people! It’s what is inside that counts. Inside these we have almond butter, almond meal, banana, flax, and a little bit of maple syrup to sweeten things up – all simple, delicious, good for you, happy ingredients!

After plopping 6 plops onto a baking pan I decided to add chocolate chips to the remaining batter. These are for the days when I’m all like, “I don’t care if chocolate chips aren’t vegan, gluten-free, or paleo. I am none of those things either and today I will eat chocolate. Plus, antioxidants.” Add them. Don’t add them. Find vegan, gluten-free, paleo chocolate chips. Whatever choice you decide to make is the right one.

healthy almond banana bread bites Now let’s talk about how these are made. I essentially made my own almond butter by toasting almonds in the oven and processing them in a food processor. Then I added the remaining ingredients and processed until everything was combined. Ta da! The batter is done.

If you already have almond butter (peanut butter would also work) on hand you are more than welcome to use that. Just know that oftentimes store-bought brands come with extra oils and sugars. If you have never made your own almond butter before I encourage you to try it out!

I am still pretty new to using almond meal in recipes, but I like it. I found mine at Trader Joe’s, but I am sure they sell it elsewhere. If you aren’t able to find some, throw an extra cup of almonds in the food processor and process them until they become very, very small almond crumbs. Then take out a cup and let the remainder become butter.

Once you’re set, plop rounded tablespoons of the batter on a lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. I kept mine closer to the under-baked side of the spectrum so they are nice and chewy.

I like to keep these almond banana bread bites in the freezer, because I like eating cold things. Plus, they will last longer that way; however, if you make these and eat the whole batch (a delightful baker’s dozen) within four days I wouldn’t feel guilty about it.

healthy almond banana bread bites Oh, and you know what!? These would be perfect little snacks to keep in your purse/pocket/backpack for when you need some healthy sustenance in between green beers, assuming that you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day today. I am celebrating it in Chicago and shortly after I press the “submit” button to this post I will be out the door to go awe at the green-dyed river and partake in some festivities!

If you aren’t celebrating St. Patrick’s Day today, you can still make them and keep them in your purse/pocket/backpack for when you need some healthy sustenance.

Healthy Almond Banana Bread Bites (vegan, gluten-free, paleo)
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
These almond banana bites are super healthy and easy to make! They only require 6 good for you ingredients and can be made completely in a food processor. These bites are delicious, healthy snacks that will keep you happy and satisfied. Add some dark chocolate chips for an extra treat.
Author:
Serves: 13
Ingredients
  • ½ cup raw almonds (or roasted almonds, almond butter, or peanut butter)
  • 1 tablespoon flax meal
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat map.
  2. Make the flax egg by combining the flax meal and water in a small cup.
  3. Spread the almonds on a bake sheet and pop them in the oven. The oven doesn’t have to be fully preheated to 350 at this time. Toast them until fragrant, but be careful not to burn them, usually 5-10 minutes. (If you have roasted almonds you can skip this step)
  4. Place toasted almonds in the bowl of a food processor and process until it reaches the consistency of almond butter. This can take anywhere 5-10 minutes depending on the power of your food processor. (If you are using store bought almond or peanut butter you can skip this step too).
  5. Add the remaining ingredients (including the flax egg) to the bowl of the food processor and process until everything is combined.
  6. Drop “batter” by the rounded tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet.
  7. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let them sit on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  8. Keep almond banana bread bites in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Notes
You can replace the raw almonds and use store bought almond or peanut butter instead. Just skip the 2nd and 3rd steps.

You can make your own almond meal by processing almonds in a food processor until it reaches a fine crumb.

If you don't have a food processor a high-powered blender should work just fine. If you don't have either of those use store bought almond butter and mix everything together with an electric mixer.

healthy almond banana bread bites

Share this: