Over the weeks before and during our move we had lots of help. Family and friends came to the rescue with paintbrushes and shovels, hot meals and strong arms, big hugs and encouraging words. They definitely helped us through the difficult time.

And while it was all going down we had a protein dense snack that got us through long hours of packing, renovating, and moving: homemade larabars. I made batch after batch to keep us going when meals were a distant thought. Many requests for food we met with a plate of these tasty nuggets. Thankfully the kids (mostly) love them. The coconut haters changed their tune, everyone picked favourites, my food processor got a lot of loving.

Oh, and the hanger (hunger induced anger) that certain of us experience was largely avoided, too. We kept our tempers and our wits thanks to the energy punch these babies pack.

For a couple of years now we’ve enjoyed larabars as a quick snack, great when we’re on the go. They are full of good stuff but demanding on the wallet. Dan decided he could whip them up and he was right. I got ahold of the idea and ran with it adding different flavours to his base of cashews and dates.

Peanut butter, cherries, cocoa, and coconut have all come into the mix for one of more of our batches.

I’ve got the original recipe for you today along with my favourite (thus far) variations.

Don’t Flake Out Nut Bars

2/3 cup raw cashews, unsalted

1/3 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup dates, pitted

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1-2 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

Pop all these into a food processor and blend, blend, blend. The mixture will begin to hold together after 30 seconds or so. Pulse a few times to make sure you haven’t missed any nut chunks. Shape into a tight log using wax paper and press into a 1/2 inch rectangle. Refrigerate until firm then slice into bars. Alternatively roll into balls – perfect for popping.

Variations:

Cocoa-Nut Bars – add in 3 Tbsps cocoa before blending.

Peanut Butter Balls – omit coconut, add 2-3 Tbsp natural peanut butter, 1/8 tsp sea salt

Cherry Bombs – 1 cup almonds, 1/4 cup dates, 1/4 dried cherries, 2 Tbsp coconut oil

The peanut butter version is to die for. Seriously yummy and you know I’m going to be tossing in some chocolate chips next time for a little choco-peanut crunch.

But my absolute biggest praise for these morsels – my mid-afternoon sugar ache has been appeased. I didn’t think the craving monster could be tamed but these chock-full-o-goodness bars have kicked it to the curb. For reals, people.

You’ve got to try them.

Perfect for growing boys, 3pm sugar calls, and hanger emergencies.

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Do you have a favourite snack when energy lags? Do you crave sweet or is salt your thing? I dare you to put these head to head with your craving monster!

A couple of weeks ago I shared my favourite brownie recipe which I maintain does not need improving.

I’m hardly one to skimp on the butter or less proudly, sugar. But, yeah, I’ve been reading about sugar and realizing it’s kinda sketchy* so I’m checking out recipes that have less.

That awesome bulk order I can’t stop talking about also included a case of black beans. Cocoa and black beans? I recalled a recipe somewhere for black bean brownies and thought I’d experiment with a healthier version of this yummo dessert.

These brownies win points for being so quick to throw together (using a food processor) and for being beautifully silky and chocolately. They are also gluten-free and cut the sugar way back.

While they weren’t the chewy brownies I’m used to they certainly exceeded my expectations. The flavour was great – no hint of bean once they were baked. They didn’t hold together as well as I’d hoped but they were so nearly guilt-free that I didn’t mind.

There was no coup d’etat, my classic brownie recipe remains undefeated (I don’t call them World’s Best for nothing) but I will be making these again.

*I’ve long tried to pretend sugar isn’t so bad as a justification for my love of baking and sweet treats and baking sweet treats. But yeah, it’s not doing me any favours. Search sugar on Weston A. Price and it gets depressing.

Black Bean Brownies
original recipe here

1 19 oz (540 mL) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup cocoa
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Add all the ingredients, minus the chocolate chips, into the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Blend one more time…no rogue beans on my watch. Pour the mixture into a buttered square cake pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the brownies are firm and no longer goopy in the middle.

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Do you have a crunchy-granola version of a favourite dessert? Please do share! 

When our organic foods order came in for sorting last weekend my big bin of cocoa brought forth visions of brownies. I simply could not resist them.

The lovely Irina asked if there might be a recipe and it was just the prompt I needed to make a batch to share with you here. Oh how my waistline would thank me if I was sharing more than just the recipe.

This favourite dessert is based on the America’s Test Kitchen Classic Brownie recipe with a few twists of my own. They are moist, chewy, and rich, with a crispy top and fudgey centre. Seriously perfect indulgence.

They are great fresh from the oven or a day later. They are perfect for holding a birthday candle; or eaten in secret with a glass of milk while the kids do math. For an absolutely decadent treat they are glorious topped with vanilla bean ice cream and drizzled with caramel. But I’m sure you can find your own perfect way to enjoy them.

I won’t say they are the world’s best. But they come pretty darn close in my opinion.

world’s best brownies or something like that 

1 1/4 cup unbleached flour

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa

50 grams dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more), chopped

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 – 2 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Butter a 9×11″ pan and line with parchment paper. Then butter and lightly flour the parchment.

In a small bowl combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

Place 2 inches of water in a pot to simmer over low heat. Place a bowl over the simmering water and in this melt the butter, cocoa, and chocolate. When melted and smooth remove the bowl from the heat and gradually stir in sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture, in three sections, using a spatula or wooden spoon.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread smooth.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting and enjoying. Store any extras in an airtight container.

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And just so I we don’t feel too guilty about these chocolatey gems, I have a much more diet friendly version to share coming up soon! And I’m sorry friends, but they are not as good as these. Good but not as good.

As I mentioned earlier in the week, we had a super fun day of cookie baking and overindulgence this week. I’m happy we’ve had visitors popping in this week to share in our cookie bounty but we still have had plenty to enjoy on our own.

When it comes to cookies I prefer mine chock full of oats, chocolate, and nuts. The kiddos aren’t too choosy but they do love the treat of sugar cookies. In this house sugar cookies mean cookie cutters and royal icing, cut and decorated by kids.

For her birthday last December, Amalia traded her gingerbread-making party for a visit to the chocolate factory. We missed (as did a couple of small friends) the messy cookie tradition we’d established. Easter seemed like the perfect excuse to gather sugar, flour, and friends for a sweet morning.

Sugar Cookies

recipe from Alton Brown

3 cups unbleached flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp milk

In a small bowl sift together powder, flour, and salt. In a mixer with paddle attachment ,or in a bowl using a wooden spoon, cream butter and sugar until light in colour. Beat in egg and milk to combine. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until the dough begins to hold together. Divide the dough in half, wrap in wax paper, and refrigerate for two hours. *

Preheat over to 375° F.

Dust your rolling surface with icing sugar and roll dough to a 1/4″ thickness. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters or the top of a glass. Spread cut cookies on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes until beginning to brown.

*When I’m preparing dough for a crowd of cookie-cutting children I prepare a double batch at a time (so as not to overdo it with my mixer). Once the dough is mixed I divide each double batch into six pieces. I roll each piece into a large round between two sheets of wax paper or parchment. I stack the rounds onto a baking sheet and refrigerate from one hour to overnight. If I’m really pressed for time, I’ll just pop them in the freezer for 20 minutes or so. After removing from the fridge the rounds may be stuck together, carefully peel them apart, and the dough is ready to be cut into shapes! 

Royal Icing

from Wilton

To be honest, I don’t prefer the flavour of royal icing, made from scratch or otherwise, but for decorating cookies (especially with eager children) it sets up nice and quickly. I haven’t found anything quite as user friendly.

3 tbsp meringue powder

6 tsbp water

4 cups icing sugar

Beat with a mixer until peaks form. A little extra water can be added if it hardens too quickly.

For this endeavour I separated the icing into four bowls and mixed a few drops of food colouring into each. Then I scooped the icing from each bowl into a small baggie, fastened the bag tightly with a clip and snipped off the very corner of the bag for a makeshift piping bag.

Decorate your heart out and call it art class. 

Although, if like me, you would rather enjoy your cookies without adornment, they are most delicious with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of tea. I’ve tried both. Just so you know.

They are also welcome at the end of a long morning of school, which has become a long afternoon of school.

Just the thing

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not the main chef in our home. I’m blessed with a hubby who is both a better and happier chef than I am. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy cooking – but Dan enjoys it more.

When Dan cooks he prepares beautiful, often complicated meals with more than one thing going on at once. He likes separate flavours and delicate sauces. He plates, he garnishes, he serves. His timing is impeccable.

When I cook it’s a different story. Forget timing – we eat when we eat. I don’t plate; I try, but it isn’t pretty. I like bold, mixed flavours. My speciality  in the cooking realm runs pretty strongly along the lines of Mexican…er, Tex-Mex meals. Also, they are usually messy. I like a meal served out of a big pot or casserole dish with a salad on the side. A meal that’s good for lunch the next day.

Dan’s meals are delicious and gourmet. My meals are delicious and utilitarian. Okay, Dan might balk at the delicious part, he still prefers his flavours separate – he’ll settle for tasty and utilitarian.

Enter this chili. It fits my criteria: tasty, bold, big pot. I love the flavours, I don’t miss the meat, and I love all the veggies. Oh, and it’s served with cornbread. Bread makes everything better.

Skillet cornbread is a wonderful thing. I don’t know anything about traditional cornbread but I’ve tweaked a few recipes on my way to this one. It’s sweet but not sugary. Delicate and soft without being spongy. I decreased the sugar and oil to get to a result that didn’t feel so guilt inducing and ended up liking it much better this way.

Three Bean Chili

This makes a lot of chili. So plan on making for a crowd, or freezing half. Or, you can do as I do, and feed it to the family all week. This is a great recipe to experiment with – it is very forgiving. Adjust as you’d like for a smaller batch and/or play with the spices and jalapeno for a spicier version. I make it quite mild for all the little mouths I feed.

Notes on the method: Adding the salt to the cooking onions helps draw out the moisture for softer onions. Try adding the spices 20-30 seconds before the liquids – the extra heat draws the oils out of the dried spices for a stronger flavour. Don’t overcook though, or you can scorch the spices.

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped fine

1 tsp salt

2-3 carrots, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, minced, with or without seeds and ribs

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp chili powder (or more depending on taste)

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 lt stock: veggie, chicken, or turkey

1 lt crushed tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 can navy beans

2 cups of frozen corn

For garnish: sour cream, chopped green onions, grated cheddar cheese

In a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-low heat. When the oil is nice and hot (if a drop of water makes it spit, I call it ready), add in the onion and the salt. Let the onion sweat for a couple of minutes then add in the carrots, pepper, and jalapeno. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softening and the onions translucent. Add your spices now and stir into the vegetables for 20 -30 seconds. Pour in the stock, tomatoes, and beans. When the chili begins to bubble reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 – 20 minutes. While it simmers try a sample – if you want more spice now’s the time to add it. Stir in the corn in the last five minutes of cooking.

Serve garnished with sour cream, grated cheddar and green onions and alongside a wedge of skillet cornbread.

Skillet Cornbread

I  bake cornbread in a cast-iron skillet but it can easily be baked in a buttered 9’x11′ pan.

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

2 1/2 cups milk or buttermilk (I use a mix of both)

2 tbsp butter

2 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil (I use grapeseed or olive)

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Soak cornmeal in milk for 5 minutes. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add to cornmeal mixture, whisk in eggs and oil. Pour mixture into hot skillet. Pop into oven for 25-30 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cut into wedges and enjoy!

In a house full of different tastes and aversions, I’m always happy when a meal wins a majority vote!

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Do you have a favourite chili or cornbread recipe? Perhaps you are a chili traditionalist and would debate whether my meatless recipe should even be considered ‘chili’? I’m curious to hear you thoughts!