No Refined Sugar Protein Brownies

My husband and I extended our January No Sugar Challenge to February...And YOU get to benefit! I am sharing another healthy treat. This one will satisfy your chocolate sweet tooth, and it packs a good protein punch!  Double WIN!

The main response we get when we tell anyone we are avoiding refined sugars and flours is "WHY???" I admit had to ponder this to give a genuine answer. 

In January, my "why" was to clean up my diet after all the holiday junk I consumed at the end of last year.  My husband and I extended it into February because we have loved the way we feel.  We allow ourselves one "cheat day" each week, but it's not a "binge day." Usually it means we eat something like waffles or chocolate chips (or both, together!). We don't go eat a dozen doughnuts and negate all the good we have done through the week!

We have also upped the ante on our workouts, so these protein brownies especially feel good after a hard bootcamp or trail run!  In fact, my husband came home from a tough snow-camping trip with our son and ate the last three (of the second batch I made)!

No Refined Sugar Protein Brownies

Makes 1 9x13 pan

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened  (can use all coconut oil, just double salt)

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup honey

2 eggs

1/2 cup natural peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1/2 cup chocolate protein powder

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 9x13 baking dish/pan.

2. In a food processor or electric mixer bowl, beat coconut oil and butter until well combined. Add cocoa powder and honey and beat well. Mix in eggs, peanut butter and protein powder until smooth. 

3. Whisk coconut flour and sea salt together, then stir into main mixture. 

4. Pour into prepared dish, and bake 13-16 minutes, just until top no longer looks wet and edges begin to darken. 

5. Cool completely. These taste best cooled or chilled. I liked them at room temperature, but loved them after they sat in the fridge a while. Store in air-tight container, or wrap individually as an easy to grab protein treat!

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Banana Bread Cookies

Creativity in the kitchen so often arises out of necessity, am I right??  In the case of these cookies, I NEEDED something sweet.  However, my husband and I have sworn off refined sugars and flours for the month of January, so my sweet tooth was not easily appeased. 

I had some bananas sitting on the counter that I was guarding with my life so they would ripen enough to use in my sugar-free-sweet-treat-making endeavors.  Finally they began to turn brown, and I set to work. 

Now I know that raisins in cookies are not enjoyed by all. Usually you love'em or hate'em.  I am in-between. I love them if they are soft and don't break up the uniform texture of the cookie too much. I hate them if they are hard.  I think the Love'em camp would be larger if more cookie chefs took the time to plump their raisins in water before adding them to recipes.  Sun-Maid has figured this out and has done it for you with their Baking Raisins, available at grocery stores or on Amazon. 

You can also measure out your raisins, cover them with boiling water, and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Then drain off the water (but don't squeeze the raisins), and they are ready to add to your baking! 

But if you absolutely hate raisins in any form or fashion, leave them out. These cookies can stand on their own, with our without the addition of raisins!

Banana Bread Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup coconut oil, softened

1/2 cup honey

2 eggs

3 very ripe bananas, mashed well

3 cups rolled oats (oatmeal)

1 cup baking raisins (raisins soaked in hot water 10 minutes, then drained), optional

1 cup chopped pecans, optional

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment, silpat, or coat with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and coconut oil until smooth. Add honey and beat well. Beat in eggs. 

4. Add 1/2 flour mixture to wet mix. Mix in bananas, then add remaining flour mix. Stir in oatmeal, raisins and pecans. 

5. Place rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes, until edges just begin to brown and tops no longer look wet.  Cool, then store in airtight container. 

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Sea Salted Crio Brü Granola Bars

Yep! I've added leftover Crio grounds to another recipe! A couple of posts ago I put them in some delicious no-bake cookies.  Now, you won't BELIEVE how yummy they are in these soft, scrumptious granola bars. 

Crio Brü is a drink made from brewed cacao beans. Each time you make this tasty drink (which brews like coffee in a coffee maker or french press), save the grounds. I save my used grounds in a covered bowl in the fridge. They are so great for baking with that I rarely throw them out! These granola bars are full of yummy chocolate flavor before you drizzle them with melted chocolate chips, and Crio is the sole source of that flavor.  

(By the way, I am NOT being compensated for this post. I sincerely love Crio Brü and enjoy baking with it!)

For this recipe, you'll need to save 1 cup of your previously brewed grounds (which adds up fast because the grounds expand when brewed), pulse them in the food processor or blender for a few seconds, and they are ready to go!

1 cup previously brewed Crio grounds

Pulse in food processor or blender for 15-30 seconds, scraping sides once.

These bars also have delicious flaked coconut, chia seeds, and oatmeal! So they have a TON of redeeming health value!! My entire family went nuts!  I made two batches: one I iced and one I didn't; ALL were devoured. 

Sea Salted Crio Brü Granola Bars

Makes 12-14 bars

Ingredients

1 cup previously brewed Crio Brü grounds

1/2 cup coconut oil, room temp

1/2 cup honey

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

2.5 cups quick oats

1/4 cup chia seed

1.5 cups unsweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup chocolate chips for drizzle (optional)

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9"x13" baking dish with cooking spray. 

2. Place previously brewed Crio Brü grounds in food processor or blender and pulse 15-30 seconds, scraping sides once. Set aside

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat coconut oil, honey and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg and beat well. 

4. Stir in Crio grounds and vanilla. 

5. Stir in oats, chia seed, and flaked coconut. Spread in prepared pan.

6. Bake 30-35 minutes, until sides and bottom begin to brown. Remove from oven and cool. Cut into bars.

7. To make drizzle (optional): Melt chocolate chips by placing in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until chocolate is smooth. Spoon into a plastic sandwich bag. Snip off a bottom corner and drizzle over cooled bars. 

8. Sprinkle with sea salt (with or without drizzle). Wrap individually in plastic wrap to store. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Participating in these link-ups. 

Sugar and Spice Snack Mix

 Orange spiced almonds, salted caramel pretzels, honey-kissed cereal and a melted cinnamon chip drizzle--This is not your average snack mix.

This mix came about because of a peanut allergy. I was helping out with a friend's baby shower this weekend, and after purchasing some peanut butter M&Ms to put in treat cups, I remembered the host has a child with a peanut allergy in her house. Oops--I needed to fill those little cups with something else. So I perused my pantry. 

I had a full bag of Snyder's Salted Caramel Pretzel Pieces. These are pretty amazing on their own, but one bag wasn't enough for my needs, so I decided to make a mix.

I also had some raw almonds, Honey Nut Chex cereal, as well as a bag of cinnamon chips in my freezer. Eureka! I had a plan!

I micro-cooked the almonds with orange flavoring and zest, butter, spices and brown sugar. While those were cooling, I mixed everything else but the chips in a large bowl, then added the cooled almonds.  I laid  all this out on a Silpat-lined cookie sheet, then drizzled it with melted cinnamon chips. Perfect!   

Sugar and Spice Snack Mix

Makes 8 cups

Ingredients: 

 2 cups Orange Spiced Almonds (recipe below)

1 (10 oz) bag Salted Caramel Pretzel Pieces 

4 cups Honey Nut Chex (or generic)

1 cup cinnamon baking chips

1 tablespoon coconut oil (or shortening)

Directions:

1. Mix first three ingredients in a large bowl, then spread on wax-paper or a silicon mat. I put my mat on a baking sheet to contain it.

2. In a microwave safe dish, melt cinnamon chips on medium heat for 1 minute. Stir, then add coconut oil and heat in 30 sec intervals until smooth. 

3.  Using a spoon, drizzle melted cinnamon chips over dry mixture. Let cool, then break up to serve. 

Orange Spiced Almonds

Ingredients:

2.5 cups raw almonds

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2-1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 teaspoon orange extract (optional)

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1.  In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter just until mostly melted. Add rest of ingredients and microwave on high, uncovered 3-4 minutes, stirring after each minute. 

2. Spread hot spiced nuts on wax paper to cool. 

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Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates

Father's Day is this Sunday, which naturally makes me think of bacon. So I decided to take action.

Dates are starting to show up in the produce department. I found mine at Costco last week. And I bought their big brick of Raskas Cream Cheese (to use in another recipe, but it is a BIG brick). It is THE BEST cream cheese I've had.   I also had some cashews leftover from my trailmix recipe.  Adding some thick-cut bacon and honey to the mix, and I was ready to rock.

Pit the dates. Make a thin slice lengthwise to open, then the pit is pretty loose in there. Pull out each pit and discard it.   

Next, put a 1-2 teaspoon slab (depending on the size of the date) of cream cheese in each opened date. Then push a cashew into the cream cheese on each one.

Now pre-cook the bacon a bit by placing it between a couple of paper towels on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 1 minute. 

Here is the bacon after the pre-cook step. It is not crispy at all. It should be just starting to curl up at the ends.

Cut the strips of bacon into halves or thirds. I did mostly halves, but thirds for some of my skinnier dates.  It isn't an exact science. Wrap the dates in the bacon and secure through the middle with a toothpick. 

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You can skip the parchment, but I recommend it if you have it.  Makes clean-up much easier.

Put a squirt of honey on each bacon-date roll.  This glaze is SO yummy when it bakes.

Bake for 7 minutes at 450°. Turn over each one and return to the oven to bake 5-7 minutes more, until crispy on the edges.

Tastes divine. And has a fair amount of redeeming value--that's whole fruit in there...whole milk in the cheese... a whole nut... and a whole bunch of yummy. 

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