Vegan No Bake Millionaire Chocolate Bars

 I'm soooo excited!!! It's our first recipe blog post! As you may know, Sheree has been a full fledged vegan for a very long time. Me? I have dabbled in the vegetarian and vegan lifestyle for years. I actually prefer many plant based dishes for many reasons, mostly to maintain a healthy diet. And I actually really like the taste of most vegan recipes. One of the reasons I have not transitioned into a fully plant based diet is because I am not always so successful at getting the yummy taste of vegan options down while cooking at home. If I go out to a restaurant, I can order plant based all day because those chefs and restaurants are truly skilled at making delicious meals. It can also be somewhat challenging to find options if you are a vegan or eating a 100% plant based diet. As a vegetarian, you can at least still have dairy. It does make you realize that most of the food we consumer does have some type of animal product used in the recipe. Still, I have had recent health challenges over the last year that have required me to change a lot of things in my diet and lifestyle. If you have read my blog post titled A Pelvic Health Story, it may have mentioned a bit about my decision to follow an Anti Inflammation diet. This diet can be quite strict: no gluten, caffeine, alcohol, or dairy. With the removal of dairy in my food choices, it has been a natural evolution into a fully plant based diet. I am not there yet, but am definitely moving in that direction with great speed. Not to mention the fact that my amazing and strong willed 7 year old woke up one morning  about 3 months ago and announced to us that he was a vegan. Have I mentioned that Sheree ADORES my son?!? 

I have started to make a lot of really good vegan recipes, and I do mean good! As I used to be a professional baker, I have naturally started with desserts and baked goods with more ease. And yesterday, I was really in the mood for something sweet and delicious! Pinterest has become my go to for recipes for years. There is no shortage of quick, easy, and scrumptious food on this site. My sweet tooth was in overdrive and I found this vegan treat in no time!

This recipe is from a website called Fit Mitten Kitchen and this the first recipe from the site I have tried. As a disclaimer, not all of the recipes on her site are vegan or plant based, but her recipes are all healthy and delicious! It was very easy to follow her instructions and all of these ingredients can easily be found at most traditional grocery stores. I say this because I know that some plant recipes have what people may call "exotic" ingredients that can only be found at Whole Foods. Well, not this recipe! You are more than welcome to visit her site or find this recipe on Pinterest, but I am just going to make it easy for you with recipe below. You will also see photos of my bars! 

 

HEALTHY NO BAKE MILLIONAIRE BARS

VEGAN/GLUTEN-FREE/PALEO

PREP TIME: 30 MIN   THE RECIPE MAKES 16 SQUARES

INGREDIENTS

shortbread crust:

1/2 cup + 3 TBS coconut flour

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted and cooled

date caramel:

13 - 15 medjool dates, pitted and chopped

1 TBS non-dairy milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

chocolate layer:

3/4 or 1 cup  dairy-free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life chocolate chips are my favorite brand and they are available at Target)

2-5 tsp of coconut oil, melted and cooled

INSTRUCTIONS    

1. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing extra to hang over the edge. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, add coconut flour, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Use a spoon or spatula to fully combine. Allow dough to rest for a few minutes so coconut flour absorbs moisture.

3. While the dough is resting, add pitted and chopped dates to small food processor or blender. You can also us a nutirbullet.  Add 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk and vanilla extract to the blender and process until smooth. This may require scraping down the blender a few times.

4. Spread coconut flour dough into the lined loaf pan, pressing flat and evenly into all four corners. Add date paste and use spatula to spread an even layer onto base.

5. Melt chocolate and coconut oil together in a medium microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring between until fully melted (This was 2 increments of 30 seconds each for me).  Pour melted chocolate into pan, on top of the date paste, and spread until smooth and even.

6. Place plan in fridge and allow bars to set for about 20-30 minutes.

7. Once the bars have set, lift the plastic wrap out and place on a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife,  slice bars into approximately 16 squares. (Wipe knife in between cuts with paper towel if you do not want crumbs on the squares). 

8. Bars can be enjoyed at room temperature but store container in fridge.

These bars can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days or in the freezer for 1 month.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 square                         Calories: 208

Sugar: 17 grams                                   Fat: 14 grams

   Saturated Fat: 8 grams                         Carbs: 21 grams

 Fiber: 2 grams                                      Protein: 1 gram

Below are the photos of how my Millionaire Bars came out and my favorite non-dairy chocolate!

When you try this recipe at home, please share your photos! We would love to see them!

- Alexis