Banana Oat Granola Bars

These granola bars are fat-free, sugar-free (unless you add chocolate chips), egg-free and gluten-free. They are surprisingly delicious for such a healthy treat.


Preheat oven to 350 F
Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper.

Mash 3 large bananas or the number of bananas to equal 1-1/2 cups. It does not matter if you add a little extra mashed banana

Add 2 cups of large flake rolled oats

Add 2-1/2 cups of a combination of dried fruit, nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, trail mix. We used a bag of trail mix, some hulled hemp seeds, roasted and ground flaxseed, and a handful of chocolate chips.

Add some flavouring and 1/2 tsp of salt. You can flavour with 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon or a teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract.

Mix everything together well and spread ingredients evenly in the baking pan.

Bake for 25 minutes. Cool and cut in squares.  (32 squares)

Nutrients for 1/32 of recipe

Sugar Plums

I have made sugar plums several times over the years with varying success. These historical Christmas treats mentioned in the poem "The Night Before Christmas" feature ground nuts and dried fruit rolled in balls and dredged in sugar. This version is the best I have made and the soaked nuts made a difference in their consistency. The recipe is very versatile and you can use the following method as a guide.

Soak 1-1/4 cups of walnuts (or other nut) in salted water overnight. Drain, rinse and pat dry.

Coarsely chop 2 to 2-1/2 cups of dried fruit. I used dried apricots, soaked figs, dates, and prunes.

Measure spices as desired. I used 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom and some freshly grated nutmeg. You could use other spices if you prefer.

Add the grated zest of one orange.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until it comes together in a coarse paste. Roll in balls with your hands (1 tbsp/15 ml) and then roll the sugar plum in granulated sugar. Alternately, they could be rolled in coconut or hemp seeds.

Makes about 2 dozen gluten free, grain free, fat free (other than the nuts), vegan treats. Nutrients calculated for 1/25 of recipe with sugar coating.

Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

We like to visit the Distillery District in Toronto Ontario. SOMA Chocolates has a store there and their premium products are all tempting. I love the chocolate shortbreads which are made with a few basic ingredients including criollo cocoa.
I had some premium Callebaut cocoa at home which has a more intense, dark chocolate flavour so these cookies are not the same as SOMA's. These are delicious and easy to make. I modified a recipe found here.



Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb salted butter
• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 cup good quality cocoa
• 1-1/2 cups unbleached flour

Method:

Place butter in a food processor and process until it is light and well aerated. Add sugar and process for a couple of minutes until fluffy. Stir cocoa and flour together and add to butter/sugar mixture. Process until the dough comes together. (You can do this by hand if your want but mix well!)

Divide dough in half. Roll into a log (round or square) and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This is an essential step or the cookies will spread when baked. I made a roll about one inch in diameter as I wanted the cookies to be small. 

Heat oven to 325F. Slice cookies 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick and place on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Bake for 17-20 minutes. I found it easier to let the cookies set on the sheet as they are fragile when hot. You can carefully remove them to a rack with a spatula to cool. 

I don't know how many cookies this recipe made as we ate the ones that broke.  

Partridgeberry Squares

Today is Canada Day, the 149th anniversary of Confederation. It is also my father's 84th birthday and we are not able to travel 2000 km to his birthday party. So we made a sweet treat at home to celebrate both events.

We visited Newfoundland last summer and enjoyed Partridgeberry Squares at cafés in Trinity and St. John's. The squares were served with butter icing or cream cheese icing which is not featured in the picture above. We found a "Newfie" store in Cambridge ON that sells frozen partridgeberries at a reasonable price. They are very similar to, if not the same as lingonberries that are sold at Ikea stores.

Here is the very simple recipe. It also works well with wild blueberries. The squares are similar to brownies or blondies.

Ingredients

1/2 cup softened butter
1 and 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 cups coconut
2 cups partridgeberries

Cream cheese frosting:

1 250 g package cream cheese
1 and 1/4 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

• Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla. Add flour and milk stirring well until smooth, then mix in coconut and berries. There is no added salt or leavening in this recipe. 
• Pour into 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake in 350 degree oven, 30 to 40 minutes, the longer time if using frozen berries. Cool.
• Spread frosting on cooled squares

Here is my daughter's take on the squares via Snapchat :-)

Easy No-Bake Coconut Cocoa Cookies

I made these cookies twice this month. The first batch was a tasty disaster, edible only if frozen. It is important to use quick cooking oats rather than large flake oats and the milk/sugar/butter mixture must boil for 3 minutes before adding the other ingredients. I doubled the recipe from the link below but cut the sugar down to 3/4c (1-1/2 cups in the double recipe). I had these at a local buffet and they were served as squares rather than as drop cookies. In either form they are easy and delicious.

What's Baking in the Barbershop?!: Easy No-Bake Coconut Cocoa Cookies: This week is all about bringing you recipes that don't require the oven. The first no-bake recipe I shared this week was on the hea...

Here is the recipe in case the link above goes dead. The sugar amount has been decreased

Ingredients:

-1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter (or coconut oil)

-1/4 cup milk (I used 1%)

-3/4 cup sugar

-1 cup quick cooking oats

-1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

-1/2 tsp. vanilla

-pinch of salt

-approx. 2/3 to 3/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)

Instructions:

Line two cookie sheets with wax or parchment paper. Put butter, milk, and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Let the mixture boil for 3 minutes; this is important! Set a timer to be sure it boils for 3 full minutes. After 3 minutes, take the pan off the heat, and stir in the oats, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. If using, stir in the coconut. Drop mixture by spoonful onto the wax or parchment paper. Let cookies sit until they are set and easily come off the paper. Store in airtight container. Makes about 20 cookies.

Nut Pinwheel Cookies

Make a basic sugar cookie dough (like this or this)

Combine
3/4 cup pecans
3/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
in a food processor and process until you have a coarse paste. Add a little milk or water to bind ingredients if necessary.

Roll dough into a rectangle that is about 3/8" thick. Spread nut mixture within 1/2 inch of edges. Roll from long edge into a roll refrigerate or freeze log. Slice cookies and bake at 375F for 6-8 minutes or until set and lightly browned.

Icebox Cookies

Icebox cookie dough is great to have on hand if you want to bake a few fresh cookies. This recipe goes together quickly and will keep in the freezer for a few weeks.

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4-1 cup candied fruit, nuts, dried fruit of choice (chop up larger pieces)

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Combine dry ingredients and add gradually to butter mixture. Add fruit and nuts if desired. 

Divide dough into three and roll into logs that are about 1-1/4 inch in diameter. Chill in the freezer for at least 1/2 hour or freeze for use later. Slice chilled dough in 1/4 inch slices and place on baking sheet. Roll edges in coarse sugar if desired.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for 6-8 minutes until set.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

One of our national grocery chains is featuring ice cream sandwiches made with their store brand chocolate chip cookies. Right now it costs $4.99 for six small ice cream sandwiches. They are very tasty though. We made some today with small homemade peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies which were made with whole wheat flour and less sugar than the store cookies. I think ours would win a taste test anywhere!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups quick oats
3/4 cup unpacked brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt; whisk in oats until combined.
In another bowl, cream butter and peanut butter together. Stir in sugar and then eggs and beat together until creamy. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture gradually until well combined. Add chocolate chips.

Measure a rounded tablespoon (15ml) of dough, place on cookie sheets and flatten slightly. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

We made approximately 40 cookies with this amount of dough.

I used less than half of a 2 litre carton of ice cream that came in a rectangular waxed cardboard container. Cut a 3 cm (more or less) slice of ice cream and cut it into 4 to 6 squares that are the size of your cookies. Place ice cream between two cookies and freeze immediately. You could use a cookie cutter to get perfectly matched circles of ice cream.

Rhubarb Squares (or Apple Squares)

The recreation therapist made these with our patients at the hospital. They were very popular!

2-1/4 cups flour
1/4 c white sugar
1 cup salted butter

5 cups chopped rhubarb*
3 eggs*
3 tablespoons flour*
1 cup brown sugar*

Base:
Mix 2-1/4 cups of flour with softened butter and white sugar. Press mixture into the bottom of a 11x15 pan.

Fruit topping:

Beat eggs until frothy, then add sugar, flour and rhubarb and mix well. Pour fruit over the base.

Bake in preheated oven at 375 F degrees for 45 minutes.

*Variation: Apple Squares

Substitute 6 cups of chopped apples for rhubarb and decrease eggs to one. Decrease brown sugar to 3/4 cup and flour to 1 tbsp for fruit mixture.

If you use a 9x13 pan, put 3/4 of the crumb mixture in the bottom and sprinkle the remaining amount on top of the fruit.

Sugar Cookies

I made this cookie dough in the food processor and it turned out very well.

Blend in food processor or by hand until light and creamy:

3/4 cup butter, (or 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening)
3/4 cup sugar

Add:

2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract and process until smooth

Gradually add :

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Dough will form into a ball.

Wrap and chill for a couple of hours or overnight.

Roll to 1/4 inch thickness between parchment paper or on a well floured board and cut into shapes.
Bake at 400F for 6-7 minutes until lightly browned (watch closely)
I made about 4 dozen heart shaped cookies with this recipe.

Black Bean Brownies

These brownies are lower fat, high fiber and gluten-free. And they taste good too!

Combine in food processor bowl:

• 2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained (one tin)
• 3 eggs
• 3 tbsp butter or oil
• 1 tsp instant coffee (optional- we do not prefer this)
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 3/4 cup brown sugar or sweetener of choice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda (optional if you want a cake-like brownie)

Process for 2 minutes until smooth. Put into a greased 8 inch square pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350 F. Sprinkle with chocolate chips before baking if desired.

Serving Size: 1 (42 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 16

Amount Per Serving

 

Calories 102.6

Total Fat 3.7 g

Sodium 23.3 mg (without baking powder and baking soda)

Potassium 104.1 mg

Magnesium 21.7 mg

Total Carbohydrate 14.9 g (with sugar)

Dietary Fiber 2.1 g

Protein 3.2 g

Aunt Pat's Almond Crescents

This cookie is a Christmas favourite. I asked for the recipe and got this response from my sister-in-law.

Hey Kinzie Family:

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas, a prosperous New Year and all the best.

Aunt Ruth,  here is the recipe for the almond cookies:  (I remembered!!!)

2 cups flour
1 cup of butter
2 tsp. of vanilla
1/4 - 1/2 cup of icing sugar
1 tablespoon of water
1/2 cup of ground almonds

cream butter, vanilla and icing sugar, add water, flour and almonds.  Mix well.  Make into 1/2 moons and bake for 15 minutes at 325F.  Roll in icing sugar while still warm.  Enjoy.

Don't forget this is a basic recipe, sometimes you have to try it a couple of times to get it the way you like it.

Love Aunt Pat

Chocolate Cheesecake Squares

These are delicious and give a cheesecake taste in a small portion, if you can stop at one square!

Cookie Base:

Cream
1/2 cup shortening with
1/2 cup sugar (white, brown or a mixture)
Add
1 beaten egg and mix well

Measure
1 cup all purpose flour and add
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Add
1 cup of miniature dark chocolate chips
and press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.

Cheesecake topping:

Beat with an electric mixer
2-8 oz packages of cream cheese with
2 eggs and
1/2 cup sugar

Spread cheese mixture over cookie base and sprinkle top with
1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes. Cut into squares when cool.

Baking for the Christmas Grinch!

I tire quickly of Christmas commercialism and some would even call me a Grinch! My enthusiastic daughter started Christmas baking for the freezer (we only ate the broken pieces ;-)... Here are the recipes she made this weekend.

Shortbreads
Molasses Crinkles
Pink Squares
Lemon Squares
Christmas Cake
Sugar Cookies

Danish Hindbaerkager

These simple and delicious bar cookies are a family favourite.

1 cup shortening (no butter)
2/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
2-2/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup thick jam

Glaze (optional)

1/2 cup icing sugar
1 to 2 tsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar. add eggs. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Beat until smooth. Divide dough in 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 10 inch rope, 3/4 of an inch in diameter. Using a wooden spoon, make a groove down the centre of the rope. Bake at 375F for 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Spoon jam into grooves. Bake five minutes longer.
Cool 10 minutes. Drizzle glaze over warm cookies. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut cookies diagonally into 1 inch strips (You may have to eat the ends!)
Makes 5 dozen cookies. Cool completely before storing. They freeze well, but also taste good frozen. ;-)

Lemon Squares

Tart and sweet, easy and delicious. I have also tasted them made with lime juice.

Base:
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/2 cup icing sugar

Mix ingredients until crumbly. Press into a 9x13 greased pan.
Bake at 350F for 20 minutes until light brown.

Filling:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
6 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Beat eggs, add sugar, lemon juice, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until well blended. Pour over warm base. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes. When cooled, sprinkle with icing sugar and cut into squares.

Pictured here.

Pink Squares (Coconut Graham Squares)

We always make these with pink icing, so they are pink squares!

Base:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp flour

Mix together and press into a 9x13 inch pan
Bake at 275F for 12 minutes

Filling:
Mix one tin of sweetened condensed milk and 2 cups shredded coconut together
Spread over warm base. You may need to wet a knife with warm water to spread it.
Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes, until coconut is slightly browned

Icing:
2 cups icing sugar
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp milk
food colouring if desired

Pictured here.

Sugar Cookies

This is a very easy recipe from Kraft Kitchens

Cream together

8 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar

Add

2-3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda

Mix dough and form into 3-4 balls. Chill in the fridge for 1/2 hour or more.
Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness, cut into shapes
Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned
Ice cookies before serving.

Icing

3 tablespoons butter
2 cups icing sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk or cream

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are a family favourite and are just as quick to make as a trip to the store to buy cookies.

1 cup butter
3/4 to 1 cup brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup white sugar

Cream butter and sugar together. Beat in until smooth

2 eggs

In another bowl mix together

2 cups flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 tsp salt (these may need no salt if using salted butter)
1 tsp baking soda

Stir into butter mixture. Add

1-2 cups pure chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, or whatever.

Place on a cookie sheet by spoonfuls and bake in preheated oven (375F) for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and set.

Rice Krispie Squares and Variations

There is no easier dessert to take to a potluck or picnic. They are popular with young and old alike.

Basic Rice Krispie Squares

1/4 cup butter
40 large marshmallows or 5 cups of miniatures
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups Rice Krispies

Place butter and marshmallows in a large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, or until the ingredients are puffy and melted. Stir mixture until smooth and add vanilla and cereal. Press into a greased 9x13 pan. Cut into squares when cooled.

Variation: Add 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips to mixture along with the cereal.

Honey Bunches of Oats Squares

1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tbsp butter
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Honey Bunches of Oats cereal

Microwave peanut butter, butter, and marshmallows on high for 1 minute until melted. Stir together until smooth and stir in cereal. Place in greased 9 inch square pan. Cut into squares when cooled. I make a recipe and a half and use a 9x13 pan as I like the bars a little thinner.