Super food energy bars

Energy bars, protein bars, granola bars are all so handy for that quick source of much needed energy after a work-out or a mid-day snack or a meal replacement on a super busy day at work. With a gazillion variety available in the stores, it's a hit or miss. Some are high in sugar, others high in calories, some have a long list of strange ingredients you can barely pronounce! 

Inspiration to try my hands at these nutrient pack delicacies came from a neighbor and I started experimenting with my own ingredients until I found a happy medium! Or did I? Well, I suggest you find out for yourself and tweak as you please as long as you can share your version as well!

Ingredients

• Almonds- 1 cup
• Cashews- 1/2 cup
• Walnuts- 1/2 cup
• Chia seeds- 1/4 cup
• Oats- 1 cup
• Dates chopped- 1.5cup
• Almond butter- 1/2 cup
• Semi sweet chocolate chips- 1/3 cup
• Dash of sea salt
• Dash of cinnamon and nutmeg 
• Almond milk- as needed for binding
• Vanilla protein powder (plant based)- 1 scoop
• Stevia (if needed for more sweetness)
• Dried unsweetened coconut flakes for garnish

Roast the nuts on a low flame. Roast the oats lightly for 3-4 minutes. Grind the nuts and oats coarsely. A food processor can be used on a "pulse mode" to bring all the ingredients together into a dough like consistency. Spread the mixture on a greased cookie sheet; sprinkle some coconut flakes and bake in a 350 F preheated oven for about 12- 15 minutes. Let it come to room temperature before freezing it for about 30 minutes. Alternately, refrigerate for an hour or so and slice. The refrigeration ensures crumble free pieces. (I learnt it the hard way!)

Spread in the cookie sheet

Store in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy as u please!

Chocolicious chia seed pudding with a hint of orange!

Chia seeds have been the talk of the town for their "super food" label in health food circles. Anything that purports health benefits and lend that crunchy, bubbly texture catches my attention. I tried the overnight chia seeds and oats pudding that my SIL recommended and enjoyed it for a nice breakfast variation at work. I had enjoyed chocolate chia pudding at a local restaurant, "Lyfe Kitchen" and had found the texture's uniqueness beyond the scope of my kitchen! Boy, was I wrong!

The ease of this recipe is just the icing on the cake: the no-dairy, no-sugar aspect and all the healthfulness of chia seeds makes it almost too good to be true! Except that it is true!

Ingredients

• Unsweetened vanilla Almond milk 1.5 cups
• Chia seeds 1/2 cup
• Raw Cacao powder (or baking cocoa powder) 1/4th cup
• Maple-Agave syrup blend (or Maple syrup)- 3 tbsp 
• Orange zest- 2 tsp
• Pinch of salt
• Vanilla extract- 1 tsp (optional if using vanilla flavored Almond milk)
• Raspberries and graham cracker crumble (or any berries) for garnishing

Makes about 5-6 small dessert cups

Mix all the ingredients except the berries and graham crackers in a mixing bowl making sure there are no lumps of the cocoa powder. Blending will make the pudding smooth for those who prefer the smoother texture. I think what makes this pudding extra special is the texture of the chia seeds so tastes great without blending. Set in the refrigerator in individual serving cups. Pudding will be ready to serve in 5-6 hours. Garnish as you like and serve cold. 

Low guilt choco-orange walnut brownies

Who doesn't like warm chocolate gooey brownies with some good old vanilla ice cream! I have experimented with many recipes/ingredients with varying degrees of deliciousness and nutrition value! I just tend to be slightly picky about what goes into the food that goes into my kids' growing bodies and brains. The more nutrition I can squeeze in while still keeping the taste, the better I feel about that dish! And this applies to desserts as well.

Kahan, my 7 year old is a foodie and takes on his mom. He is very curious on what's cooking in mumma's kitchen and if the aromas arouse his interest, he will want to pitch in some help climbing on the little step stool. And so here we were, the mommy-son duo whipping up some choco-orange goodness right before homework time! The results were mouth watering (plural because it's hard to stop at one!) minus the refined flour, sugar, oil, butter and eggless in case we want to recreate this for Nani (my mom) some day!

Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3rd cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4th cup Stevia-sugar baking blend
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup roasted chopped walnuts
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut
Zest of 1 orange
1/4th cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Pinch of salt (to round out all the flavors)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3rd cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1/3rd cup coconut oil
3/4th-1 cup water (Almond milk or milk can be used as well) to bring it all together to a batter

Mix all the ingredients except water really well. Add water (or almond milk) slowly as needed to get the thick brownie consistency. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pour the batter in a greased baking pan. Bake for 25-29 minutes depending on your pan and oven; checking in between. Let it cool before slicing. Enjoy with a dollop of your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Peanut-dates energy bars

Chilly winter mornings conjure up childhood memories of a glass of warm milk and mom-made "peanut laddoos"! Here's an attempt to recreate that memory with a slight twist for my kids and to be honest, for me too! The "gingery notes" pair up perfectly with peanuts and jaggery imparting a special aroma that is sure to tantalize those refined taste buds!

Ingredients 

2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts

1/2 cup pitted dates

1/2 cup chopped jaggery

3-4 tbspn dried coconut flakes or pieces 

3-4 tspn dry ginger powder or fresh grated ginger 

A dash of nutmeg

1 tbsp Ghee or coconut oil

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor or a high power blender like Vitamix/Blendtec. Empty into a mixing bowl and mix some ghee/coconut oil to bring it all together to bind it. Spread it in a greased dish and let it cool before cutting into pieces. Alternately they can be rolled into laddoos or rolls. Store at room temperature in a air-right container.

A quick on-the-go snack is ready for those crazy school mornings or right before that soccer practice or dance class in the evening!