Anzac Biscuits

Anzac Biscuits (a.k.a. Crisp Coconut Oatmeal Cookies)
recipe adapted from Lazy Cat Kitchen

makes about 22

100 g / 1 cup oats
85 g / ¾ cup (slightly heaped) desiccated coconut*
100 g / 1 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour*
100 g / ½ cup + 1 tbsp caster sugar*
1 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp water, hot
100 g / 3.5 oz vegan butter, margarine or refined coconut oil*
1 tbsp maple syrup or golden syrup*

*Notes:

100g unsweetened coconut chips, pulsed

50g white whole wheat flour + 50g AP flour

75g coconut sugar

40g coconut oil + 60g unsalted butter

maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 180° C / 355° F.
2. Put oats, desiccated coconut, flour and sugar in a medium mixing bowl and mix well.
3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat (or in microwave), add maple syrup and stir until combined.
4. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 2 tbsp of hot water and add to melted butter mixture.
5. Add melted butter mixture to dry ingredients and stir gently until it is mixed well.
6. Roll mixture into balls with your hands (it should make 20 at 25 g each), flatten each ball so that you have 1 cm / 0.4″ high cookies, and place them 2 cm / 1″ apart on a paper lined baking tray.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

I wasn't at all familiar with Anzac Biscuits nor Australia Day until I came across a couple posts on these cookies while looking for an oatmeal cookie recipe.

An Anzac biscuit is a sweet, hard tack biscuit, popular in Australia and New Zealand, made using rolled oats, flour, sugar, butter, golden syrup, baking soda, boiling water, and (optionally) desiccated coconut. Anzac biscuits have long been associated with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) established in World War I.
(source: Wikipedia) 

What's not to love about these biscuits from down under which are pretty much oatmeal cookies with loads of coconut chips mixed in? They turned out exactly as I have anticipated - crisp and chewy with a wonderful aroma!

I adapted the recipe to balance between wholesome and indulgent. I substituted half of the flour with white whole wheat flour and nearly half of the fat with coconut oil. I also opted for coconut sugar and maple syrup which I have readily on hand.

I added 15g more coconut chips unintentionally and forgot that the recipe called for desiccated coconut. I only briefly pulsed my coconut chips which resulted in larger pieces mixed into the batter. The dough was a bit crumbly and took some time to form into balls, but nonetheless turned out delicioso!

Taste: 4 stars out of 5
Fragrant, buttery and rich!
Texture: 4 stars out of 5
Crisp with loads of oatmeal and coconut chips which added some chew!

Banana Bread Granola

My baking routine has been disrupted or paused for a little while now ever since my diet was turned upside down during our trip in New Orleans late February. 

A simple Greek yogurt banana bread and a unique banana bread granola are slowly easing me back into the game. 

With no oil and refined sugar, the banana bread was a little dense for my liking. But these banana bread granola thooooo.. These are great in my yogurt parfait and even just as a snack on their own. 

I love how the sweetness mask the not so pleasant Greek yogurt flavor (:

Banana Bread Granola
recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker
makes about 7 cups

240g old fashioned rolled oats
95g walnuts
40g pecans
25g sunflower seeds
38g coconut chips, unsweetened
1 Tbsp (10g) organic coconut palm sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon, ground
1 Tbsp flax seeds, ground
1 tsp chia seeds 

52g coconut oil, melted
100g maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium ripe banana, mashed  (~1/2 cup)

1. DRY: In large bowl, combine oats, nuts, seeds, coconut chips, sugar, sea salt, and cinnamon.
2. WET: In pot over low heat, combine oil, syrup, and vanilla and warm till liquid state.
3. WHISK: Whisk mashed banana into wet ingredients.
4. COMBINE: Pour wet ingredients into dry. Mix until evenly combined.
5. BAKE: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread granola mixture out in an even layer. Bake at 350F, gently stirring at 15 minutes, until the granola is golden-brown and dry, 30 minutes.
6. COOL: Let cool completely and transfer to jar to store. 

Dry ingredients.

All ready to combine together.

Last minute idea to throw in my leftover coconut chips.

Spread out to an even thickness layer.

Mix them up a bit to release the heat once they are done baking.

Good chunky size!

Yogurt parfait.

Granola > Greek yogurt.

Taste: 5 stars out of 5

Banana flavor was mild. Good amount of sweetness. Lovely toasty-ness from the nuts.

Texture: 4.5 stars out of 5

Not as crispy as my last granola, but nothing a little longer bake time can't fix.

Honey Almond Cacao Nib Granola Bar [no bake]

Four days later and with about 3 bars left of my first homemade granola bar, I made them again. This time- Honey Almond Cacao Nib! These bars are customize-able in infinity ways to suit you. I love how they are packed with fiber and protein and kept me away from snacking on junks.

For the most part, these granola bar are healthy.. but what?!?!? 20-22g of sugar PER BAR?!?!?! They don't taste excessively sweet at all.

In order to stay healthy, the American Heart Association recommends no more than six teaspoons, or about 25 grams, of added sugars per day for women, and nine teaspoons, or about 36 grams, for men.

I guess the high sugar content can be somewhat overlooked because these bars stopped my cravings for more sweets. I was satiated and sweetly contented. My goal is to eventually get to a bar that is around 8g of sugar. That way, I can eat more than 1 a day.. 

Granola Bar

recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker

makes one 8x8 pan (about 12 bars)

Base:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats, roasted

1 cup packed medjool dates, pitted (10 pieces)

1/4 cup honey

Variables:
18g coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup raw almond pieces, roasted

1/4 cup cacao nibs

1/4 cup coconut flakes, roasted

2 tbsp chia seeds

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Toast oats, almonds and coconut chips.

Chia seeds and cacao nibs.

Honey and cinnamon.

Pulse the pitted dates.

Sticky soft dough ball like.

Combine everything in a bowl.

Mix mix mix thoroughly.

For written step by step, click here.

LET's COMPARE.

Left: last time; Right: this time.

This is the same general recipe as last time EXCEPT

• 10 pieces of dates vs 13 pieces last time
• 1 cup is roughly 8-9 dates, but mine are on the small side
• honey in place of maple syrup
• 18g melted coconut oil in place of peanut butter
• almonds in place of pecans
• cacao nibs in place of pumpkin seeds
• extra 1/2tsp of cinnamon 

The number of dates is slightly decreased and peanut butter is omitted all together. This bought the sugar down from 22g to 20g per bar. The result of all the changes in the liquid portion made the bar a bit more crumbly and less sticky. I prefer this change.

Last time: gooey and sticky

This time: noticeably less sticky, held together nicely.

Next time,

• Decrease to 8 pieces of dates
• Omit honey and put back 1/4 cup nut butter
• Try a bake version for crunchy texture

Taste: 5 stars out of 5

Sweetness is just right to taste but would like to bring it down to 8g on the nutritional. 

Texture: 5 stars out of 5

Great balance of chewy and crunchy.

Peanut Butter Pecan Pumpkin Seed Granola Bar [no bake]

MY FIRST GRANOLA BAR.

& they are #momapproved.

Simple, no bake and packed with wholesome ingredients!

Eat them for breakfast, mid morning snack, afternoon snack, or anytime throughout the day when your snacking addiction kicks in. 

I must first confess that I was never a fan of granola bar.
(I am ok with the KIND bars.)

But, I better restate that now.. 

Homemade granola bars are THE BEST!

&Look at the two store bought granola bars and their ingredient list below..

Yes, homemade is the one and only way to go with granola bars.

Long ingredient list o_o

Peanut Butter Pecan Pumpkin Seeds Granola Bar

recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker

makes one 8x8 pan (about 12 bars)

Base:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats, roasted

1 cup packed medjool dates, pitted (~13 pieces)

1/4 cup maple syrup

Variables:
1/4 cup creamy salted natural peanut butter
1/2 cup raw pecan pieces, roasted

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, roasted 

1/4 cup coconut flakes, roasted

2 tbsp chia seeds

Drain the dates.

Maple syrup and peanut butter.

Mix mix mix.

Press press press.

1. Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain and a dough- like ball forms.

*I pitted and chopped my dates, soaked them briefly in hot water and drained before processing.

**Next time, I would wash and drain them whole first.
2. Toast oats/nuts at 350F for 15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Toss occasionally.

*I added the coconut flakes in for the last 5 minutes.
3. Place oats/nuts/seeds and dates in a bowl. Set aside.
4. Warm maple syrup and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.

5. Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8x8 dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper.
6. Press down until uniformly flattened. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let set in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden.

7. Remove bars from pan and chop into bars. Store in an airtight container in the fridge/freezer. 

This is a super versatile recipe, and there are limitless flavor and texture combinations to play with.

Here are some other things I already have in my pantry that i can't wait to add into my next granola bar:

• almonds (whole and sliced)
• cacao nibs
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• matcha powder
• applesauce
• bananas
• coconut oil
• white sesame seeds
• black sesame paste

I would also love baking them to see how that changes the texture. These no bake were on the moist side and were sticky to touch. 

Taste: 5 stars out of 5

Absolutely tasty and satisfying for the sweet tooth.

Texture: 5 stars out of 5

Good balance of crunchy and chewy.

Re-purpose the parchment paper that lined the pan to store these bars!

#nobakenovember