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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Make Your own Granola! (gluten free, vegan)

Homemade Granola 

"Never eat a food with its own mascot." Whomever said this first was brilliant, but was not trying to reason with youngsters eying carefully positioned, sugary offerings in the cereal aisle. Since our boys love both oatmeal and baking, we have not had that fight yet.  We can make a delicious, sweet and crunchy cereal with ingredients we keep on hand. 

For about six servings:

3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup
1/2 cup sliced almonds (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil (more if you prefer the granola clumpy)

Preheat the oven to 300F.

Mix all of the ingredients except the oil together in a pyrex baking dish. Add the olive oil and mix well. Bake the granola for about half an hour, stirring well after 20 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

For a little pizazz, after baking try adding half a cup or so of:

raisins
dried pineapple, chopped
dried apple slices, chopped, or
dried berries

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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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Easy Granola Bars (vegan, gluten-free)

Easy Granola Bars

Whenever we walk to the corner store, G-man picks a granola bar for a treat and shares it with his brother. "A bar? A bar?" the Cadet will ask from his seat in the back pack. Off we will head for home, G-man holding one hand in mine and clutching a granola bar with the other, and the Cadet happily drooling crumbs down my back.

Even better than the granola bars from the store are the ones we make ourselves. We use whole grain oats, almonds, peanuts, and olive oil. Local honey and some brown sugar bind the bars together. G-man especially enjoys crushing up peanuts with a mortar and pestle.

1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup unsalted, roasted peanuts
2 cups quick oats

1/2 cup honey (or rice syrup)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300F

With a mortar and pestle, crush the peanuts and almond slices. (You can use a food processor.)

In mixing bowl, combine crushed peanuts, almonds and quick oats. Mix well.

In a pyrex bowl, mix honey, brown sugar, olive oil and vanilla. Microwave on high until the sugar is completely melted.

Stir all ingredients together and mix well. Pour into an oiled 9x9 pyrex baking dish and press until even with the back of a mixing spoon.

Bake for 25-30 minutes @300F. Cool completely before cutting. Makes about two dozen bars.


This recipe was shared with Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love, the Hearth and Soul Hop,  Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and Scratch Cookin' Tuesday.

www.stealthymom.com

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: