Omega No-Bakes (vegan, gluten free) Updated!

Omega No-Bakes (vegan, gluten free)

One the first and most popular posts on the Stealthy Mom blog was our Omega No-Bakes recipe: fudgey little chocolate and peanut butter cookie balls that each contained about a teaspoon of flaxseed and a tablespoon of rolled oats.

Today we tweaked them a little bit. We switched the white sugar for sucanat (evaporated cane juice) and the olive oil for avocado oil. Sucanat is sugar's minimally processed relative, and avocado oil has no taste and is stable at a higher temperature. We added a bit more plain peanut butter.

G-man and the Cadet were scooping up the No-Bake as fast as I could roll them. Indeed, when still warm, they were pretty gooey and yummy. The sucanat gave them a rich molasses flavour that worked well with the chocolate and peanut butter. After chilling, those that made it to the fridge set up well.

For two dozen:

2 tbsp cocoa
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 cup sucanat
6 tbsp water
1/2 cup golden flaxseed meal
1/2 cup unsweetened "just peanuts" peanut butter
1 1/2 cups quick oats (whole rolled oats will work, but will

In a large sauce pan, mix the avocado oil and cocoa powder. Slowly heat, constantly stirring. When the powder is completely melted, stir in the sucanat and water. Heat, constantly stirring, until the mixture starts to bubble. (Sucanat takes longer to melt than white sugar.)

Turn off the heat, and quickly stir in the flaxseed meal and peanut butter. When the base is smooth, stir in the rolled oats.

As soon as the mixture is cool enough to touch, form into 1" balls with your hands. If your hands are a bit wet with water, the balls will roll easier. (Alternatively, spray a pyrex pan with non-stick spray and press the mixture into it. When cool, cut into squares.)

Chill in the fridge for about an hour to set.



I shared this post with these weekly natural food recipe round-ups: Hearth and Soul Hop,  Fight Back! Friday and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.


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Slim Mints

Slim Mints

G-man asked me if we could make "Thin Mints." He was referring to those chocolate mint cookies that the Girl Scouts have in their fundraising lineup. Every year, a few boxes find their way into the house, we eat them, and they are gone. (I could claim altruism and say I ate most of a box to protect the kids from the artificial ingredients. Um, sure.)

Slim Mints are crisp, chocolate-mint cookies topped with rich, dark chocolate. Scrumptious!

Several hours before, prepare the dough:

1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 tbsp cocoa powder (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp)

1 egg
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp peppermint essence

6 oz (1/2 bag) dark chocolate chips
1 tsp peppermint essence

Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl. Combine the egg, butter, sugar and peppermint essence in another bowl. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. You may need to knead the dough.

Using waxed paper, roll the dough into a 1" diameter roll. Place the dough roll (s) in the refrigerator until hardened, several hours or overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator and slice into 1/4" thin coins. Slicing them thinner, if you can, will make them a bit crisper. Be sure to slice them as uniformly as possible to ensure even baking.

Bake for 9-11 minutes at 370F. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

Melt the chocolate chips and peppermint essence, mixing well. I use a microwave, thirty seconds at a time. Thickly ice each cookie with the melted chocolate, using a spatula. Place them on waxed paper and cool in the refrigerator.


Makes 3 dozen.


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Raisin Spice Omega Cookies

"I want to make cookies with raisins," said G-man. I was kind of shocked, because he does not like raisins... He diligently stirred the ingredients together, checking them off the list. Flaxseed meal replaces half of the butter with a source of Omega-3 and, along with the rolled oats, a source of soluble fiber. When the house filled with the festive, spicy aroma during baking, he excitedly paced along with me to see how they would turn out. Delicious!

Mocha Omega Truffles (vegan, gluten free)

Mocha Omega Truffles

It has been along week. How about a nice, soft truffle? Mocha Omega Truffles are rich and almost guilt-free: no butter or margarine, or artificial ingredients.  The flaxseed meal provides Omega-3 fatty acids and, along with the oatmeal, provides an excellent source of soluble fiber.  The grown-up combination of cocoa and coffee is rich in antioxidants. Our kids both like them, too. 


To make about four dozen Mocha Omega Truffles:


1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups sugar
1 cup strong, black coffee 
2 tsp instant coffee (or more, to taste)
1 cup flaxseed meal
3 cups quick oats
1 cup crushed almonds

Chocolate Omega Macaroons (vegan, gluten-free)

Chocolate Omega Macaroons

Craving chocolate? Chocolate Omega Macaroons  are fast to make and contain no butter or margarine. The flaxseed meal provides Omega-3 fatty acids and teams up with oatmeal for an excellent source of soluble fiber.  Cocoa is rich in antioxidants.... All in all, a pretty good excuse to eat chocolate, no?

[I have gotten my hands on some Avocado oil, which does not have as strong a flavour as olive oil. I'll try this out and make an amendment if it's a good idea- Laura @ Stealthy Mom, May 2013]


To make about four dozen Chocolate Omega Macaroons:



3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups water
1 cup flaxseed meal
3 cups quick oats
1 cup flaked coconut

In a large sauce pan, mix olive oil and cocoa powder. Slowly heat, constantly stirring. When the powder is completely melted, stir in the sugar and water. Heat until it starts to bubble, constantly stirring. Add the flaxseed meal and stir again until bubbly. Stir in the oatmeal and coconut, maintaining a low heat for a couple more minutes.

Turn off the heat.  As soon as the mixture is cool enough to touch, start breaking off chunks and rolling into 1" balls, and chill at least an hour before serving. (If you are short on time, spray a pyrex cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and press the mixture into it. Cut when chilled.)


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Chocolate Chip Omega Cookies II (easily egg free)

Chocolate Chip Omega Cookies

Soft and chewy, who would suspect that these cookies are packed with the goodness of rolled oats and flaxseed meal? G-man knows because he helped bake them. The Cadet blissfully left the kitchen with chocolate smeared all over his grin. (Busted. I was looking for an excuse to bake with chocolate again.)

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg OR 3 tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup unbleached, all purpose flour or whole wheat flour
3/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or carob chips*)
1/2 cup rolled oats

Preheat oven to 375F

Cream the butter, vanilla, sugar, and egg together  in one bowl.

Mix the flaxseed meal, flour, and baking powder in another bowl. Add the wet and dry ingredients together and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips and rolled oats.

You may need to put the dough in the freezer for a few minutes to harden up. Roll into one-inch balls and place two inches apart on cookie sheets.  Bake for 10-11 minutes @375F Makes two dozen.

*If you substitute carob chips for the chocolate, stick to the baking times. I have burned countless batches of cookies waiting for carob chips to melt. Carob chips do not melt the same way that chocolate does.

[If you like a flatter, crisper cookie, add a tablespoon of water to the mix. I made them eggless tonight with a total of 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of water and they were awesome!]


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Ginger Omega Cookies

Ginger Omega Cookies

This afternoon, G-man and I decided to puddle around in the kitchen and make up a cookie recipe.

Ginger Omega Cookies are low in sodium and each one contains a tablespoon of flaxseed meal. (What? A tablespoon? Yup.)  G-man and the Cadet have eaten two each, so we must have done something right.

Peanut Butter Omega Cookies (gluten-free, vegan options)

G-man, our three-year-old son, likes to help bake these.  Some afternoons, while his baby brother naps, we have fun making a big mess in the kitchen. His aim, when dumping dry ingredients into the bowl, is improving and he is mastering the art of smashing the little balls of cookie dough with a fork. He watches with anticipation while they bake, and proudly runs off with the first one from the sheet. He has no idea that they are better for him than plain, old peanut butter cookies. The Cadet enjoys them frozen, especially when he has new teeth coming in.

For about 5 dozen cookies: