Better than Trader Joe's PB & J Bars

If you like Trader Joe's Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars, I promise you will LOVE these! They are wholesome, gluten-free, surprisingly filling, and downright YUMMY. 

Not to bag on Trader Joe's bars. They are good. My kids will eat them, as will I. But in a side-by-side comparison, these are tastier.

One thing I LOVE about this recipe is that it makes a TON, so you get a big reward for your relatively short time investment. They will fill a large cookie sheet or 9x13 AND 11x15 baking dishes. These bars keep for days (if you can keep hands off), and they are tasty served cold, medium or warm. 

The recipe involves an oat-based peanut-butter cookie dough on the bottom, your choice of jam, jelly or preserve in the middle, and more of the peanut-butter cookie on top! 

A couple of notes for the preparation process. This recipe has baking soda in it, which is the spreading leavener (baking powder is the rising leavener). So when you put the top layer of peanut-butter cookie dough on the jam layer and you see a ton of holes, no worries!! The dough will spread a it cooks.  (Before-baking pictures above; After pictures below)

Now, on to the recipe!

Better than Trader Joe's 

PB&J Bars

Makes 72 bars

Ingredients

3 sticks butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

1.5 cups natural peanut butter

1.5 teaspoons baking soda

3 cups oat flour (4 cups oatmeal pulsed in blender or food processor until smooth)

3 cups oatmeal

2 cups jam, jelly, or preserves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Spray large cookie sheets or baking pans with cooking spray. (This recipe will make thick bars on a 14"x18" cookie sheet, or thinner bars on more pans. I like to use one 9x13 and one 10x15 baking dish.)

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add peanut butter and mix until smooth. 

3. Mix baking soda into wet mixture. Stir in oat flour, then oatmeal. Dough will be thick, but still sticky. 

4. Spoon half of the dough into prepared pans. Dip the back of a spoon or your fingers in cold water and spread the mixture so it is covering the bottom of all your pans in an even layer.  Set the other half of the mix aside. 

5. Spoon the jam on to the bottom layer in small spoon fulls all around. Use a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it in an even layer. 

6. Cover the jam layer with the remaining cookie dough by spooning small amounts all over the top. (See the pictures above for reference)

7. Bake 30-40 minutes, until edges are brown and top is light brown. Middle will still look wet and bubbly, but will settle as it cools. Cool completely before cutting into bars. 

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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Clean Eating Oatmeal Raisin No-Bake Cookies

Aren't you so glad I have given up refined sugars and flours for the month?? Otherwise I probably wouldn't have developed this AMAZING and EASY new treat that you can feel good snacking on!

I have made two batches of these so far. Right now there are 3 left in the fridge. Even though only my husband and I have given up refined sugars and flours, my kids are enjoying all of our healthy indulgences!! I KNOW he and I haven't eaten THAT many--though we could've...

Oatmeal Raisin No-Bake Cookies
Makes 30 

Ingredients:

3 cups oatmeal (I use rolled oats, but quick oats will work, too)

1/2 cup honey

1 cup natural peanut butter, crunchy or smooth (Almond butter would work.)

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

Directions: 

1. Line a cookie sheet that fits in your fridge with wax paper. 

2. Place oatmeal in food processor and pulse until coarsely ground, but not smooth. About three 5-second bursts did it for me. 

3. Add honey, peanut butter, and baking raisins to food processor. Pulse until well mixed. You may need to scrape the sides once or twice during pulsing. 

4. Use a medium cookie-scoop to make 1 inch bon-bons, or scoop with a spoon and roll into 1 inch balls, and place on prepared wax paper.  They can be eaten immediately. Place cookie sheet in fridge to let them harden a bit more before removing to store in an air-tight container. I really like them at room temperature, but I LOVE them chilled!

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No-Bake Cookies with Crio Bru

Have you tried Crio Bru? If you like chocolate--especially if you like rich, dark chocolate--you will LOVE Crio. I am a huge fan. I drink it several mornings a week.  Crio is a drink made from 100% roasted and ground cocoa beans, and it is brewed like coffee. I brew mine in a french press. My favorite way to drink it is iced with a pack of Truvia sweetener and a shot of creamer.  So delicious!

A beautiful feature of Crio grounds is that they can be re-used in baking.  And after making a few recipes with my used grounds, I never throw them away. They are too deliciously valuable!

I buy my Cri Bru on Amazon, and it is also available in many grocery and health-food stores. I am NOT being compensated for this recipe post--I'm just sharing a product I truly love with my many chocolate-loving readers!

After some questions on social media from readers, I am posting a link to the french press I use. I'm sure there are others that work well out there, but I can personally attest to the ease of use (and ease of cleaning!), as well as the effective brewing ability of this press: 

Now on to how to use the grounds to make your chocolate no-bake cookies over-the-top with rich yumminess!

Here are the used grounds. They should be damp, but not at all juicy. This recipe uses 1 cup of previously-brewed Crio grounds. If you brew daily, you'll have a cup in less than a week.  The grounds expand when they are brewed, so they accumulate pretty fast. I just scoop them into a bowl after each brew and keep them covered in the refrigerator. 

Place your cup of grounds into a food processor/blender. 

Pulse for about 1 minute total, scraping the sides a couple of times. The grounds will still be coarse,  but less rough than they started out.

Now make the chocolate candy base for your no-bake cookies by melting 1 stick of butter, 1 cup of sugar, and 1/3 cup of cocoa powder.  Once melted, stir in the processed Crio grounds.  Bring to a boil and boil hard while stirring for 2 full minutes. This breaks down the sugar so the cookies aren't gritty. Don't boil more than 4 minutes, though, as the sugar will start becoming too hard. 

Remove from heat, and stir in 1 cup peanut (or other nut) butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Stir in 2.5 cups of quick oats.  Similar recipes for no-bake cookies call for 3 cups of oats, but the Crio grounds add fiber and bulk, so these only call for 2.5 cups. 

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto wax paper. Refrigerate or freeze to set. 

I kept these in my freezer for a few days and LOVED grabbing one when I needed a little chocolate treat. My kids discovered them and they were gone shortly after. The chocolate flavor in these are SO incredible! And they have less sugar and more health benefits than most cookies, so you can feel good eating them and sharing them with your family!

Here's the recipe: 

No-Bake Cookies with Crio Bru

Makes 30 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup previously brewed Crio Bru grounds

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 cup peanut (or other nut) butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups quick oats

Directions:

1. Place previously brewed Crio grounds in a food processor and pulse 1 minute, scraping sides 2 times.  Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter with sugar and cocoa powder, stirring until smooth. Add Crio grounds and bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil 2 full minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Stir in quick oats. Immediately drop by heaping tablespoon onto wax paper-lined baking sheets. Place in freezer of fridge to set. 

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

These are what I like to refer to as a "sometimes" food with my kids. SOMETIMES I need something sweet. SOMETIMES I need chocolate. SOMETIMES I feel entitled to cheesecake, peanut butter, brownies, and a big glass of milk. Last weekend was a "sometimes." We went on a family backpacking trip for spring break. It was 3 days of seeing God's beautiful grandeur up close. But backpacking food is neither beautiful nor grand. It is edible and sustaining. 

So after we cleaned up and showered and rested for a day (and ate at Five Guys), I made these babies. They are perfect chewy brownies with a fluffy, peanut butter and chocolate cheesecake-ish truffle center, topped off with a drizzle of rich chocolate glaze. 

I ate mine slowly and deliberately, savoring each bite. Then the next day I ate another the same way. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies
Makes 16

Brownie Layer:
1 1/4  cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Truffle Filling:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350. Grease a square baking pan (9x9" or 8x8")
2. Make brownie layer by melting chocolate chips and butter (don't boil). Set aside. Beat brown sugar and eggs. Add chocolate mixture a little at a time, beating well until completely mixed. Stir in flour and baking powder. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool completely.
3. Make truffle filling by melting chocolate chips over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Beat cream cheese in a separate bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in chocolate-peanut butter mixture. Beat in corn syrup and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Spread over cooled brownies. Place in refrigerator while preparing glaze.
4. Prepare glaze by melting chocolate chips and coconut oil, stirring until smooth. Spoon mixture into a plastic storage bag. Use scissors to snip a small hole in one bottom corner of the bag. Drizzle chocolate over the filling. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before cutting into bars to serve. Makes 16.

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Trail Cookies (Sugar-free, Gluten-free, Milk-free, Bad Fat-free)

And they're not gross! They are tasty, even. I promise. My kids have all approved.

In hopes of seizing the forecast sunny (!!) day this weekend, I decided to try out an idea for a healthy but hearty cookie to take along on our excursions.  It doesn't have any weird unnatural sweeteners, bad fats, or ingredients that are hard to find or expensive. My recipe made about 60 cookies and cost about $6 to make. Not bad eh?

I used homemade date paste instead of refined sugar to sweeten them. You can find the tutorial for making your own date paste here on Chocolate and Carrots. These cookies aren't as sweet as a typical oatmeal cookie (more in the realm of a muffin's sweetness), and they are full of delicious texture and moisture.

I'm so excited to pack these up for our hike this weekend! Now we won't be tempted to stuff our pockets with Halloween candy! 

Here's the recipe: 

Trail Cookies

Makes 5 dozen

Ingredients:

1.25 cups date paste (see link above for how to make your own.)

1.5 cups natural unsweetened peanut butter

1/2 cup coconut oil

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

4.5 cups rolled (old-fashioned) oats--gluten free

1 cup dried fruit, chopped to raisin-size (I used cranberries, raisins, and blueberries)

1 cup finely chopped nuts (I used pecans because I love them)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat date paste, peanut butter and coconut oil. Add in eggs and beat well.

3. Beat in vanilla, sea salt, and baking soda.  Mix in remaining ingredients 2 cups at at time.

4. Use a medium cookie scoop to place on cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Press down to flatten slightly. Bake 9-10 minutes. Cool and store in refrigerator or freezer. 

Here's a glimpse of the hike we took these cookies on this weekend.  My only complaint: I should have packed more! We gobbled them up!

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Peanut Butter and Potato Chip Cookies

Yes, you read that right. Potato chips. In cookies. 

When and if I sub-categorize my recipes, this will not fall under a "healthy" sweet. But a bit of indulgence now and then is okay, right?  Otherwise, it wouldn't be an indulgence. 

These cookies are: 1.The perfect combination of soft/crispy, salty/sweet, rich/smooth; 2. Gone.

I gave a couple plates away to friends, partially because I enjoy sharing something yummy I've come up with, and partially because my hubby was afraid to have so many around the house. He likes cookies.

I used Reeses Pieces in this batch. M&Ms would work well, too. Or you can leave out candies.

Soon after this pic was taken, so were the cookies. :)

On to the recipe: 

Peanut Butter and Potato Chip Cookies

makes about 40

Ingredients:

2.5 cups all-purpose flour

1.25 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

2/3 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.5 cups coarsely crushed potato chips

1.5 cups Reeses Pieces or M&Ms candy, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.  Prepare baking sheets with spray, parchment, or silicone mat. 

2. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugars, and egg. Add peanut butter and vanilla and mix well.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.

3. By hand, stir in crushed potato chips and candies. 

4. Drop by tablespoon onto baking sheets.  I used a medium cookie scoop, then pressed them down just slightly so the dough wasn't such a high mound. 

5. Bake 10 minutes.  Remove promptly to cool on wire racks.

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Peanut Butter Cup Mini Tarts

A.K.A. "Michele's Amazing Camp Cookies Spectacular!"  

I really like this name better, but it doesn't bode well for this coming up on any search engines, hence the more boring title.  These were introduced to me by my good friend Michele. She brought them to share at the girls' camp where we were both leaders to 30 young women a couple of weeks ago. Everything tastes better when you are camping, but I knew these were actually tasty, and it wasn't just the lack of sleep and too much bug-spray talking. So we decided while at camp that they needed to be blogged in the near future.

And let me just tell you, I might have enjoyed these even more while NOT camping. Why? I could sit on a soft seat and have a glass of milk with them. No bugs tried to land on them in my home. And I got to smell them baking. 

So, on to how to make them. 

Start with a good soft peanut butter cookie recipe. I used this one from Sally's Baking Addiction. I doubled it and made a couple of small changes. My slightly altered version is in the recipe below. 

Preheat the oven to 350 °.  Mix up your peanut butter cookie dough. Using a mini-tart pan and a small cookie scoop, scoop 1 tablespoon scoops into each tart cup.  Bake 7 minutes.  

*This is a good time to unwrap all your peanut butter cup candies if you haven't yet. 

Remove the pan from the oven and press a candy into the center of each tart (cookies won't be done yet). Press until the top of the candy is close to level with the dough. Return to the oven for 2 more minutes. 

Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove and cool more on a cooling rack.  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cup Mini Tarts

(aka: Michele's Amazing Camp Cookies Spectacular!)

Makes 32

1 cup softened butter

1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1  and 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour

32 miniature peanut butter cup candies, unwrapped

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a mini-muffin / mini-tart pan with cooking spray (unless it's non-stick). 

2.  Mix butter, brown sugar, sugar, and eggs in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer (paddle attachment).  Add the peanut butter and mix well.  

3. Add the vanilla and the baking soda. Mix well. Slowly add the flours. Mix only until incorporated. 

4. Fill each muffin cup with 1 tablespoon of cookie dough. 

5. Bake 7 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and press a candy into the center of each tart. 

6. Return to the oven to bake for 2 more minutes.

7. Cool at least 5 minutes in the pan before removing. Cool further on counter top or wire rack. 

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