Oil-Free Hush Puppies (The Vegan 8)

Oil-Free Hush Puppies

Source: The Vegan 8.

YIELDS 16

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (7 g) mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water, about 45 ml)
• 1 cup corn flour, not cornmeal (130 g, I used [Bob's Red Mill Corn Flour)
• 1 1/4 cups almond meal (125 g, I used Trader Joe's, it has a superfine texture, not gritty)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (really gives depth of flavor, don't omit)
• 4 teaspoons coconut sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion (58 g)
• 3/4 cup "lite" canned coconut milk (shake the can well prior to measuring. Or sub with another creamy milk like soy or cashew, creamy is best)
• Optional: 1/4 cup corn kernels (I didn't add any to mine, but I know some people like corn in their hushpuppies)

Coating:

• 2 tablespoons corn flour (15 g)
• 2 tablespoons almond meal (12 g)
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Note: These hushpuppies use corn flour and almond meal for their base. It gives them a wonderful, soft texture and keeps them moist so they are totally oil-free. If you sub either of these flours or measure incorrectly you will end up with a completely different texture.

Instructions

1. Mix your flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water and warm for 20 seconds in the microwave. You want the water very warm, this will help the flaxseed mixture to gel up really well and act as an "egg". Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, almond meal, baking powder, cayenne pepper, coconut sugar and salt and whisk everything really well until mixed. As always, for accurate results, use a kitchen scale to weigh your flours. When measuring the almond meal, scoop it up with your measuring cup and lightly pat down and then level off with your finger.
3. In a separate small bowl, add the white onion and coconut milk (shake can first) and stir well. Add the reserved flaxseed mixture and stir until well mixed. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until it all comes together into a thick, sticky batter. It should be soft and sticky. Now, you could roll them into balls now if you like, but they will be a bit sticky to deal with, so place the batter into the fridge for one hour and then proceed.
4. After the batter has chilled, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
5. Mix together the "coating" ingredients well into a small bowl with a whisk. Roll all the dough into 16 balls about the size of golf balls. Put a little corn flour on your hands to combat the stickiness. Coat each ball well with the coating mixture, shaking off any excess. After I coated each one, I rolled into my palms again to keep the round shape. Place them on the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes, flip them over and bake another 7 minutes (15 minutes total), so they get a nice golden brown color on each side.
6. Let them cool just 10 minutes on the pan, then devour! These are best eaten immediately the day they are made, as they tend to dry out later. Eat them on their own or dip them in ketchup or mustard or even my Lemon Pepper Cream Sauce .

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Unprocessed Recipes (Chef AJ)

Unprocessed Recipes

Source: Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight by Chef AJ.

Paige's Recipe Notes: Salt free, oil free, sugar free recipes.

Lentil Tacos

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 14 ounces water
• 1 cup salt-free salsa
• Salt-free seasoning, to taste

Instructions

1. Put everything in the crock pot and cook on high for 8-12 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed. This taco filling can be used anywhere you would normally use a meat taco filling, such as in taco shells and on salads. 

Quick Sun Dried Tomato Marinara

Ingredients

• 1 cup oil-free sun dried tomatoes, soaked in water
• 3-4 fresh Roma tomatoes (approximately 12 ounces)
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded (approximately 8 ounces)
• 1-2 cloves garlic, peeeled
• 3-4 pitted dates
• 1 shallot (approximately 1 ounce) or red onion equivalent 
• 1 Tablespoon sun-dried tomato powder
• 3-4 fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier consistency, use a food processor fitted with the "S" blade and process all ingredients until desired consistency is reached. Serve over your favorite healthy noodles such as those made from rice, tofu, sea vegetables or zucchini. To make zucchini noodles, peel zucchini and then make noodles using a Spiralizer, Saladacco or vegetable peeler. 

Chef's Note: If you have a high-powered blender, you can make this sauce hot right in the blender.

Aunt Melony's Caesar Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1x15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• 4 Tablespoons low sodium miso
• 6 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Add xanthan gum and blend again briefly. 

Chef's Note: This dressing is delicious on baked potatoes and steamed veggies.

Ginger Slaw

Ingredients

Slaw:

• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
• 2 cups jicama (cut into long thin strips)
• Cilantro and pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional)

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• Juice of one lime, plus zest
• 1/2 ounce fresh ginger, pressed

Instructions

1. Combine vegetables in a large bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over vegetables. Garnish with cilantro and/or pumpkin seeds if desired. 

Sweet Potato Soup with Cannelini Beans and Rainbow Chard

You can also make this soup with butternut squash or white potatoes in place of the sweet potatoes. 

Ingredients

• 8 cups water or low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomato powder
• 2 leeks (approximately 6 ounces), thinly sliced
• 2-3 large sweet potatoes (2 pounds), peeled and cut into uniform cubes
• 2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 pound rainbow chard, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (with zest from lemons) 

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, bring the water or vegetable broth to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add the leeks. Cook for about 8 minutes until soft. Add diced sweet potatoes and cook another 8-10 minutes until tender. Add the beans and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove soup pot from heat and stir in chard so that it wilts. Stir in lemon juice and sun-dried tomato powder. Sprinkle chopped Italian parsley on top, if desired, and garnish with a fresh lemon twist. The preparation for this soup can be done in advance. You can have the leeks sliced, the sweet potatoes diced, the beans rinsed, the chard chopped, the juice squeezed and the water measured out. Then it takes only 20 minutes to cook it. This recipe can easily be doubled. 

Chef's Note: With the bright orange sweet potatoes, white beans, and rainbow colored chard, this is a very pretty soup. But if you can't find rainbow chard, feel free to substitute Swiss chard or any greens such as collards, spinach or kale. 

Fruity Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons currants or unsweetened dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Place quinoa, orange juice, cinnamon and vanilla in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 10-15 minutes, until all of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in dried fruit.

Holiday Baked Yams

Ingredients

• 4 large yams, peeled and diced
• 2 ripe pears, peeled and diced
• 1 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 Tablespoon alcohol-free vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together and place in a baking dish that has a lid. Cover and bake for one hour (or until soft). You should easily be able to pierce the yams with a fork.

Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 pound Brussels spouts
• 1/4 cup finely minced shallot
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon low sodium tamari
• 1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder
• Finely diced red bell pepper (optional)
• Chopped candied walnuts or spiced pecans (optional) 

Instructions

1. Cut off stems from Brussels sprouts and then cut in half. Cook for 2 minutes in boiling water. Drain and rinse in cold water. (This step can be done in advance.) In a heavy nonstick sauce pan, sauté shallots in vegetable broth or water for 2-3 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts and sauté for 4 minutes longer. Whisk together maple syrup, tamari, Dijon mustard and arrowroot. Pour over vegetables and cook 2 minutes longer until sauce is thickened. Garnish with red bell pepper or nuts, if desired. 

Chef's Note: If you don't want to use maple syrup, use date syrup and add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of maple extract. 

Pineapple Unfried Rice

Ingredients

• 1 large can crushed unsweetened pineapple, drained (save the juice for sautéing without oil)
• 1 cup green peas
• 1 bunch scallions
• 1 red bell pepper, diced fine
• 4 ounces pea pods, sliced
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
• 4 cups cooked brown rice, chilled
• 1/2 cup low sodium tamari  

Instructions

1. Heat 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice in a wok or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and scallions and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add peas, pea pods and rice and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add pineapple and tamari and cook for another minute or so. If mixture becomes too dry, add more pineapple juice as you are sautéing. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro, and serve. 

Chef's Note: For a spectacular presentation, serve in a hollowed out fresh pineapple half.

Quinoa Salad with Currants and Pistachios

Ingredients

• 1-16 ounce box of quinoa, cooked and cooled
• 1 cup lime juice and zest from limes (approximately 8)
• 1 ounce finely chopped scallions
• 1/2 ounce finely chopped Italian parsley
• 1/2 ounce finely chopped mint
• 2 cups currants
• 8 ounces raw pistachios

Instructions

1. Prepare quinoa according to the directions on the package. Place in large bowl and allow to cool. Juice and zest limes. Pour over quinoa. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Chill. 

Chef's Note: Add pomegranate seeds when in season. Try substituting orange juice and zest for the lime, or unsweetened cherries for the currants. 

Spanish "Rice"

Ingredients

• 1 head of orange cauliflower
• 4 green onions, diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 avocados, mashed
• 1 Tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 jalapeño pepper, diced (optional)

Instructions

1. In a food processor fitted with the grating blade, grate the cauliflower. Mix in the remainder of the ingredients by hand. 

Chef's Note: If you can't find an orange cauliflower, a white one is fine. If you want your dish less spicy, omit the seeds from the jalapeño. Make sure you wear gloves when cutting hot peppers and never touch your eyes!

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Nutty Raw Brownies with Raspberry Glaze (The Vegan 8)

Nutty Raw Brownies with Raspberry Glaze

Source: The Vegan 8.

Ingredients

• 1 heaping cup raw pecan halves (120 g)
• 1 heaping cup whole raw almonds (150 g)
• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder (46 g)
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar (helps with the texture and flavor)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed (21 g)
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (or agave) (120 mL)
• 1 tablespoon Rawguru pumpkin seed butter

Raspberry Glaze

• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 1-2 tablespoons syrup/agave

Note
I understand not everybody is going to be able to order the pumpkin seed butter from every location, so you can sub with creamy almond butter. It will have a less creamy taste, but will still be delicious.

Instructions

1. Add the pecans and walnuts to a food processor and blend into a flour, about 10 seconds. You don't want to overprocess or it will turn into butter. Add the cacao powder, sugar, salt and flaxseed and blend just until mixed, another 10 seconds.
2. Add the syrup/agave and pumpkin seed butter and blend just until it all comes together in a ball (see photo), another 5-10 seconds. Don't overprocess.
3. Line a 9X5 loaf pan with parchment paper hanging over the sides. Add the mixture to the pan and press down flat and hard and out to the edges. I used a rubber spatula to help press the mixture down. It will be very sticky, so be patient. It also will help to dampen your fingers with water. Once the mixture is spread out, overlap the paper over the mixture and press down really flat and hard and smooth it out to the corners. This will help form the bars and make the mixture hold. Place to firm up in the freezer for an hour.
4. Remove from the freezer and pull out with the parchment paper and slice into 8 bars. Wrap each bar in plastic wrap and keep stored in the freezer or fridge. I like mine straight from the fridge as they are chewy and edible that way, but the fridge works too, they will just be slightly softer.
5. To make the glaze, simply blend the raspberries with the syrup in a food processor until very smooth. Strain through a strainer to catch all the seeds, pressing through with a spoon. Place in the fridge to firm up a bit, or you can add tapioca or a thickener. I added a tiny bit of cocoa powder to mine. It will thicken up in the fridge.

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Champagne Vinaigrette for Green Salad (Ina Garten)

Champagne Vinaigrette for Green Salad

Source: Ina Garten via Food Network.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• Salad greens or mesclun mix for 6 to 8 people

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, garlic, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
2. Place the salad greens in a medium bowl and add enough dressing to moisten. Sprinkle with a little extra salt and pepper, if desired, and serve immediately.

Paige's Recipe Notes: Sub balsamic for no oil dressing.

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Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• Avocado 
• cucumber 
• sprouts 
• sunflower seed pate 

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Orange Ginger Pad Thai (Megan Elizabeth)

Orange Ginger Pad Thai

Source: Megan Elizabeth.

Paige's Recipe Note: The dressing is not that great... use less tahini.

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1/2 Cup of Fresh Orange Juice
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Coconut Meat
• 1/2 Cup Cilantro
• 1/3 Cup Chopped Scallions
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Raw Tahini
• 2-3 Leaves of Fresh Sage
• 1 Quarter Sized Slice of Ginger

Noodles

• 4 Cups Spiral Zucchini
• 1/2 Cup Spiraled or Shredded Carrot
• 1/3 Red Pepper Sliced Very Thin

Instructions

1. Place on a bed of greens and garnish with sprouts. Then pig out!

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Whole Food Oil Free Recipes

Oil-Free Recipe Bowls

Tried: Indian stew and Mexican Rice and Beans.

QUICK & EASY BASIC RECIPES

All recipes consist of 5 basic ingredients and all meals can be cooked in around 5-15 minutes start to finish. All are prepared in a large pasta style pot.

Ingredients: 

• Canned Tomatoes (whole and/or pureed), No Salt Added, 28 oz.
• Canned Beans, No Salt Added, 14 oz.
• Frozen Vegetables (individual and/or variety mixes without sauce or spice packets)
• A Starchy Vegetable (brown rice, potato, barley, sweet potato, etc.) 
• Spice/Seasoning

By changing the type of bean, vegetable, starch and seasoning you can come up with different dishes.

Curried Indian Potato Stew

• 2 cans whole tomatoes
• 1-2 cans Garbanzo beans
• Frozen cauliflower (1 1/2 - 2 lbs), peas (1/2 lbs), onions (1/2 lbs)
• 3 large potatoes
• Salt Free Curry spice mix

Microwave potatoes. Put all other ingredients in the pot and heat. Cut potatoes into 1 inch pieces and add to pot. Simmer 5 mins. Top with fresh cilantro.

Can be served with brown rice which you can cook while potatoes are cooking.

Notes:
Curried Indian Potato Strew – Jeff Novic. Very bland, not that good.
Jonovial diced tomatoes.
Healthy Earth Seasoning Indian spice.
Sweet potatoes –roasted or frozen.

Mexican Beans & Rice

• 2 cans whole tomatoes (or 1 can whole, 1 pureed)
• 1 can pinto beans, 1 can black beans
• Frozen pepper and onion mix (3 lbs), corn (1 lb)
• Quick cooking brown rice (1 large bag)
• Mexican spice mix or hot sauce

Cook brown rice. While rice is cooking, add all other ingredients to pot and heat. When rice is done place in a bowl. Top with beans, veggies & tomato mix. Top with fresh cilantro.

Notes:
Mexican Beans and Rice – can use quinoa (good, easy, nutritious).
Yellow barn biodynamic tomato puree.
Add kale (frozen or fresh).
Frontier Mexican fiesta blend.
2 cups rice.
Add corn.

Italian Pasta Primavera

• 1 can whole tomatoes, 1 can tomato puree
• 2 cans dark red kidney beans
• 1 lb each of frozen broccoli, carrots, cauliflower
• 1 lb whole grain pasta
• Italian spice mix

Cook pasta. While pasta is cooking, put all other ingredients into large pot and heat. Rinse pasta when done and mix together with tomato veggie mix. Top with fresh parsley or basil. 

New Orleans Jambalaya

• 2 - 28 oz. cans of whole tomatoes (no salt added)
• 2 - 14 oz. cans of red beans or kidney beans (no salt added)
• 3 lbs frozen vegetables, corn, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash (equal parts)
• 1 large bag of quick cooking brown rice
• spice mix

Cook brown rice, while rice is cooking, place tomatoes, and veggies in pot and heat. Add in 4 cloves garlic diced, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp thyme, 4 tsp paprika, .25 to .5 tsp cayenne pepper and heat. When rice is done, place in bowl and serve tomato vegetable mix on top.

Longevity Soup

• 1 can whole tomatoes, 1 can pureed 
• your favorite beans
• 2 - 3 lbs of your favorite frozen veggie, 1 lb. frozen collards
• your favorite starch (potato, rice, barley, etc.) cooked separate then added
• your favorite seasoning

Place tomatoes in large pot. Add in 2 - 28 oz. cans of water. Then add in all other ingredients. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 mins.

Remember, there are no rules. The main issue is that they can all be made simple and inexpensively in 10 - 15 minutes with almost no preparation, cutting, chopping, dicing, or much of  a clean up.

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Oil-Free Pumpkin Bread (Live. Love. Learn. Eat.)

Oil-Free Pumpkin Bread 2 Ways

Source: Live. Love. Learn. Eat.

Pumpkin Gingerbread or Pumpkin Ginger Muffins

Sweet and moist with a perfect touch of ginger and spices.

Makes one 9 x 5 loaf or 14 muffins.

Ingredients
Dry

• 1 1/2 cups spelt flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Wet

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined (careful not to over mix). Pour the batter into a non-stick 9 x 5 loaf pan and bake 45-50 minutes. Loaf is ready when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
2. If making muffins, pour the batter into a lightly greased or baking cup lined muffin pan, filling each muffin cavity 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18- 20 minutes. Muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Molasses Pumpkin Bread or Muffins

This loaf has a nice touch of molasses to give it a richer flavor as well as a host of many minerals.

Makes one 9 x 5 loaf or 14 muffins.

Ingredients
Dry

• 1 1/2 cups spelt flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Wet

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined (careful not to over mix). Pour the batter into a non-stick 9 x 5 loaf pan and bake 45-50 minutes. Loaf is ready when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
2. If making muffins, pour the batter into a non-stick muffin pan and bake for 18- 20 minutes. Muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

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Flourless Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Paige's Recipe Notes: NO FLOUR, NO OIL, NO WHITE SUGAR

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups canned* chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (165 grams) natural peanut butter (can us PB2 from gym to make healthier, check your labels) 
• 1/4 cup (80 grams) honey (agave would be amazing too!) 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder**
• a pinch of salt if your peanut butter doesn't have salt in it
• 1/2 cup (90 grams) chocolate chips

* My can was a 400 gram can, 240 grams without the water, and I used all but a few tablespoons. 

** If you need a grain-free baking powder, you can use 1 part cream of tartar + 1 part baking soda + 2 parts arrowroot. 

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F / 175 C. 
2. Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides and the top to get the little chunks of chickpeas and process again until they're combined. 
3. Put in the chocolate chips and stir it if you can, or pulse it once or twice. The mixture will be very thick and sticky. 
4. With wet hands, form into 1 1/2" balls. Place onto a piece of parchment paper. If you want them to look more like normal cookies, press down slightly on the balls. They don't do much rising. Bake for about 10 minutes. 
5. Yields about 14 1 1/2" cookie dough balls.

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Chocolate Chip Zucchini Brownies (Food + Words)

Tat's Chocolate Chip Zucchini Brownies

Source: Food + Words.

Yield: one 8" x 8" square pan brownies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (you can use an equal amount of vanilla bean paste if you have it)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup smooth applesauce (you can use an equal amount of vegetable oil or cooled melted butter if you want!)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (regular pastry flour works too, or use all-purpose flour)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (i love vietnamese cinnamon)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 large zucchini; i washed and trimmed the ends off my zucchini, then grated it on the smallest holed-side of my box grater)
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, bittersweet, white, a combination of all three...your choice!)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with a rack in the center of the oven.
2. Line an 8" x 8" square baking pan with a piece of parchment paper so the paper edges drape over the sides of the pan. spray the parchment and the pan with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, sugar, applesauce (or butter or oil, if using) and salt until combined.
4. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon and cardamom. using a silicone spatula, mix until dry ingredients are dissolved and incorporated. the mixture will be on the thick side.
5. Fold in the grated zucchini so that it's uniformly mixed into the batter. 
6. Add the chocolate chips and fold in so they're incorporated well.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and tap lightly on the edge of the counter to release any air bubbles.
8. Bake the brownies at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out relatively clean. 
9. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan on a wire baking rack completely before slicing.
10. The brownies will keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
11. You can also wrap the cooled brownies in plastic wrap and store in an airtight zip-top plastic bag in the freezer for up to 4 months. to defrost, just remove however many brownies you want and allow to defrost in the fridge overnight before enjoying.

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Healthy Bars and Snacks

Homemade Apple Chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. 
2. Core 2 large Gala, Pink Lady or Braeburn apples. Using a mandoline or a serrated knife, cut apples crosswise into 1/8-inch slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on baking sheets. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons apple pie spice. Sprinkle or use a pastry brush to cover slices with half of the sugar mixture. Turn apple slices and repeat with remaining sugar mixture. 
3. Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until crisp, turning apple slices and rotating pans every 30 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. Store apple slices in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Yummy Banana Oat Bars

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats (not instant)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup finely chopped apple
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. Press into a 9-by-9-inch baking pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, cut into squares or bars.

The Simple Whole Food Protein Bar

1. The first step is to choose and soak your grain for 8 hours. Barley and quinoa both work well. You will know they are ready when you can chew them without hearing a crunch. If you're in a hurry, you can cook the grains, but cooking kills amino acids, so for optimal results, just soak. (Quinoa is a very well known complete protein food. Barley and wheat are also old standards for high protein grains with impressive amino acid profiles of the 9 essentials.*)
2. Take about a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter, roll it in your favorite high protein "flour" in a large mixing bowl. (We recommend oats as they are also high in all 9 essential amino acids.* It is also easy to make your own oat flour. Just put some oats in the blender for a few seconds until they turn to powder and voilà, you've got oat flour. The same can be done with almonds if you have a good blender or food processor. Or, you can buy your "flour" already pulverized. Look for quinoa flour at your local health food store. Wheat germ and ground flax seeds are other high quality options.)
3. Add a little water or non-dairy milk and mix until you get a consistency that you can easily mold into a bar shape. Soy milk adds the most protein, but feel free to use whatever flavor you like best.
4. Grab a handful of damp quinoa or barley (or both) and work them into the bar mixture. Add cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. 
5. Go ahead and taste a bit and decide if you would like to sweeten the mix. The healthy protein part of your bar is now complete. Options for added sweetness include dried fruit (raisins, dried blueberries or cranberries) coconut flakes, cacao nibs, or our healthy chocolate frosting (see recipe on opposite page) spread on top. Still not sweet enough for you? Add your favorite natural sweetener. Just remember that added sweetness is added protein-free calories, so you will want to keep sweeteners to a minimum.
6. Shape into bars (or cubes). Add some toppings (seeds, nuts, dried fruit, etc). Place on wax paper in refrigerator for 6-8 hours. Once chilled thoroughly, they will hold together under normal conditions for your high-protein snacking pleasure on the go.

Power Pack Snacks

Makes 24 cookie balls or squares

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup raw oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup goji berries
• 1/2 scoop Garden of Life RAW Fit™
• 1 Tablespoon Garden of Life
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 Tablespoons water
• 3 pitted Medjool dates
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash of salt

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients except water and dates into a food processor using the "S" blade. Process until well mixed, then add water and dates and pulse several times until mixture sticks together. Roll into cookie balls or press mixture into a brownie pan and cut into squares. Store in refrigerator for up to 10 days or in freezer for up to one month. Take out when ready to use. 

Recipe courtesy of Gwen Marzano, Garden of Life Educator and Certified RAW, Vegan Chef

Raw Protein Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chewies

Makes 24 Medium Chewies

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups rolled old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup of organic brand peanut butter
• 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk or regular milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup Garden of Life Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (can also substitute 1/4 cup butter, if you prefer)
• 1 scoop or one packet of Garden of Life RAW Protein Vanilla OR Original Flavor
• 1 Tablespoon stevia extract

Instructions: 

1. In a large saucepan, mix the stevia extract, coconut oil and almond milk. Bring to a full boil for one minute and stir the mixture constantly so it does not stick to the pan. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until peanut butter is completely melted. Stir in the oats and RAW Protein, and stir well with a wooden spoon until combined. Quickly drop spoonfuls on sheets of wax or parchment paper and cool completely. Enjoy!!

Recipe courtesy of Rhonda Price, Director of Media and Public Relations at Garden of Life

The Protein Powder Protein Bar

1. Soak your grains. If you would like to add whole grains like barley or quinoa to your bar, start just as in the Whole Food Protein Bar by soaking them for 8 hours.
2. Take about a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter, roll it in your favorite vegan protein powder in a large mixing bowl. (See page 30 for our picks of the 5 best.) 
3. Add a little water or non-dairy milk to get a consistency that you can easily mold into a bar shape. Soy milk adds the most protein, but feel free to use whatever flavor you like best. 
4. Add barley or quinoa to the mix if you'd like. You can also add chia and/or hemp seeds, bananas, apple sauce (just add more protein powder to keep the consistency if needed). 
5. Roll in sunflower or pumpkin seeds for added protein and omega-3 fatty acids. 
6. Shape into a bar or a cube. Press walnuts or halves of dates into the top for added nutrition and decoration if you'd like. 
7. Take a taste and if needed, add your favorite sweetener or throw some chocolate chips in the mix or spread our healthy chocolate frosting (recipe to the right) on top. Again, keep in mind that you are adding calories when you add a sweetener, so you will want to keep sweeteners to a minimum. 
8. Place in refrigerator for 6-8 hours. Once chilled thoroughly, they will hold together under normal conditions for your high protein snacking pleasure on the go.

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