Just like my dad, I have a definite sweet tooth. Always have, always will. As a vegan who is also focused more generally on clean, healthful eating, I've learned that it's better to give into my cravings than to ignore them. So, I've come to adopt baking in a way that makes me feel like I'm getting a treat when I'm actually getting something healthier than the non-vegan alternative. The best part is, as I taste test these recipes on my non-vegan friends, they delightfully exclaim "I can't even tell it's vegan." And that's music to my ears.
Here are two of my healthy-ish new faves, both of which make for a great breakfast on the go or a mid-afternoon energy boost. The Lemon Loaf started as my attempt to recreate a vegan version of Ryan's favorite Starbucks treat. It's sweet, but with the tang and zest of a lemon treat. This loaf is what would surely result in a marriage between a pound cake and a lemon bar. The icing is so good, I might replicate it on vanilla or lemon cupcakes. The Trail Mix Bars incorporate all the high energy treats I like to keep on hand when I'm on the go: dried fruit, nuts, and nut butter. They are tastier than a granola bar, but healthier than a peanut butter cookie. Bakers beware: both treats will disappear faster than you can make them!
Here are the recipes.
Lemon Loaf
Loaf Ingredients
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (could use all whole wheat, but it would make for a denser loaf
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
Icing Ingredients
1/4 cup coconut oil (not melted--room temp)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 360 degrees. Grease and flour a 9" loaf baking pan.
Whisk together the flours, sugar, and baking powder in a medium sized mixing bowl.
Add the melted coconut oil, milk, and lemon juice to the flour mixture. Stir together until well combined.
Pour batter into a prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Remove from rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then, turn the loaf onto a cooling rack and allow to fully cool before icing.
For the icing, cream together the coconut oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Add salt and 1/2 cup powdered sugar and beat together on medium speed. Slowly add the rest of the powdered sugar, about a 1/2 cup at a time, until an icing consistency is achieved. It should be spreadable but not overly thick.
Spread frosting over cooled lemon loaf. Keep in fridge and enjoy within 5 days.
This recipe originally came from: www.veganfamilyrecipes.com. I made a few modifications.
Trail Mix Bars
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups whole almonds
1 1/2 cups whole cashews
1/2 cup hazelnuts
2/3 cup ground flaxseed meal
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried blueberries*
1/4 cup dried coconut shavings
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups unsalted nut butter**
1/2 cup agave nectar***
Line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave some paper hanging over the edges.
Place almonds, cashews, and hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
Add chopped nuts, oats, dried fruit, seeds, flax, and sea salt to a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
In a microwave safe smaller bowl, melt the nut butter for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Stir and add 30 more seconds. Repeat until the nut butter is runny in consistency. Stir in the honey and microwave another 30 seconds, if needed. The nut butter needs to be really runny and warm for it to pull the other ingredients together. It's kind of like making rice krispy treats.
Add the honey and nut butter mixture to the bowl with nuts, seeds, fruit, and oats. Mix well.
Press the mixture into the lined pan and chill for 2 hours. Slice into desired sized bars to serve. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 10-14 days.
Trail Mix Recipe Notes:
*You could substitute the same amount of any other dried fruit. Apricots would be good!
**I used a 50/50 ratio of peanut butter and almond butter.
***You could also use honey, but in that case I would add a bit more since agave is sweeter than honey.
