15 Minute Protein Granola // Gluten-free & Vegan

It's raining granola over here! This is a quick 15 minute recipe that I came up with when I was in desperate need for something different for breakfast!

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten free oats

• 1/4th cup cocoa powder

• 1/4th cup pea protein

• Pinch of sea salt

• 2 Tbsp sunflower or peanut butter

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 4 tbsp agave

• 4 tbsp coconut oil
  

Instructions

• Set your oven to 350F

• Mix together the dry ingredients and then mix in the wet ingredients.

• Bake on a lined cookie sheet for 15 minutes.

• Let cool and then enjoy with your favorite dairy free milk or yogurt or store in an airtight container to enjoy later!

Banana Milk // Vegan & Gluten Free

I think I might be the only adult I know obsessed with all things having to do with fun drinks! Well…not the fun alcoholic drinks, more like the fun drinks you might have had when you were a kid! I am talking strawberry milk, chocolate milk, Mint Matcha, milkshakes, etc. Anything sweet and sippable makes me happy, so when I realized that I hadn’t made you guys banana milk I had to get to it!

This is a recipe my sisters now husband and then-boyfriend taught me how to make. Unlike my husband, he is a fellow banana appreciating human beings and knows what’s up. In high school, we would go to his house to hang out and eat good food. One day While deciding on a snack Connor out of nowhere starts blending banana and milk together, that’s it! Nothing fancy, he even scoffed at me adding cinnamon, but can you blame me? What better in banana milk then cinnamon!

However you like it, this is a fun and simple way to enjoy something cool and refreshing and helps to keep things interesting while in quarantine…

Ingredients

• 1 frozen banana*

• 2 cups Almond or oat milk

• 1/4th tsp allspice or cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. In a blender, combine all of your ingredients and blend on high until fully blended.

2. Pour into a glass, sip, and enjoy!

   *You can Instead use a ripe banana and a few ice cubes if you don’t have frozen bananas on hand!

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Blueberry Crumble Bars // Vegan & Gluten Free

Over the last week or so, Florida sunshine has announced its summer and that summer is here to stay! Since our new normal for the next 6 months is sunny with a high of 100F we will be needing our edible cookie dough, ice cream and all of the no-bake treats we can get our hands-on.

In true Sonya fashion, this week I took to my fridge to see what I could do to satisfy my sweet tooth while doing everything I had in my power NOT to bake…or go to the store. The yogurt & blueberries caught my eye and I knew at that moment they were going to be my muse for the day!

Now I wanted to make a blueberry crumble, but as I said before, the whole baking thing is not ideal in my very tiny, very hot kitchen. Did I think to myself follow the trends? Yes. Did I listen? Nope! So this is my take on No-Bake Blueberry Crumble Bars (insert hearts emoji)!

I was worried I had too many ingredients until I looked back on the recipe. The crust has only 4 ingredients and the filling has only 4 ingredients….that’s 8 ingredients! I am so excited about it because I honestly thought I had made the recipe complicated, but that’s me as your classic over-thinker!

The fun thing about this recipe is that it is easy and can be adjusted to the ingredients you have on hand! If you don’t have dairy-free yogurt use what yogurt you have! Just make sure if you are using a sweetened yogurt you don’t have to add in the agave. If you have a crowd that might like things a little sweeter feel free to taste the yogurt filling and adjust o your taste!
You can use blueberries, but if you want to switch things up and use strawberries, raspberries, or even cherries, go for it! This is YOUR summer treat! I know this goes against all the rules but when it comes to no-bake desserts I like to tweak recipes because it help’s me to learn and lets me get creative in the kitchen! If you are a rule follower by ALL means follow the rules, but most of all I just want you to enjoy the process!

SO without any further chit-chat, although I do LOVE chit-chat…here is your guide to No-Bake Blueberry Crumble Bars!

Ingredients

CRUST

1 cup Oats

1/2 Cup Almond Flour

11 California Dates

1/2 cup Almond Butter

FILLING

2/3rd cup Blueberries

2 Tbsp. Agave

3/4Th Cup Dairy-Free Unsweetened Yogurt

2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

EXTRAS

1/3rd Cup Blueberries for topping

Instructions

Pour your oats, almond flour, almond butter and dates into a food processor and blend on high for about 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides if needed and then pulse for another 1-2 minutes. you should have a crumbly, but soft mixture.

Pour into a bowl and set aside.

In the food processor pour in your blueberries, yogurt, agave & lemon juice and the blend until you have a smooth mixture. About 1-2minutes.

Feel free to taste test the yogurt mixture and adjust the sweetness to your taste.

Line a square or rectangle pan with parchment paper

Pour in 3/4ths of your dry mixture and press the mixture so it is smooth and covers the whole bottom of the pan.

Pour your yogurt mixture on top and smooth it out.

Place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes

Take your pan out of the fridge and crumble the rest of your mixture on top and if you would like to, more blueberries.

Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours. or until the yogurt has set.

Slice, serve and enjoy!

Tahini Energy Bites // Gluten Free & Dairy Free // Vegan Optional

Staying at home has its ups and downs, on one hand, it’s awesome because I don’t have to put on makeup all day! On the other hand, I have to make sure I have snacks and dessert ready in a moment’s notice to satisfy all the hunger and cravings. This has been kind of annoying, because it feels like I am a teenager again, with minimal responsibility and a lot of time filling my time with random activities. The thing is when I was a teenager the snacks just appeared after every Thursday when my parents would grocery shop…But obviously I am an adult now and have to provide for myself.

Thankfully being an adult means getting to make whatever you want, and since I am a firm believer that snacks and dessert have the ability to be totally interchangeable good things happened in the kitchen this week.

Behold, I bring to you, Tahini Energy Bites. They taste like dessert, but totally can pass as healthy snacks! They are packed with protein & healthy fats from the nut butter, collagen & hemp hearts! All while offering you a tasty treat that has the perfect balance of sweet & bitter from the dates & cacao!

You can make a whole bunch of these and store them in the freezer for whenever your feeling peckish so don’t be shy! Double or triple the batch, either way, you won’t be sorry!

Ingredients

• 1 cup Pitted Dates

• 1/4th cup Hemp Hearts

• 1/2 cup Tahini

• 2 Tbsp Cacao Nibs

• 2 Tbsp Almond Milk

• 1/4th tsp Sea Salt

• 2 scoops Collagen (optional)

Directions

In a food processor or a high-speed blender combine all of the ingredients except for the almond milk.

Blend on high until well combined. Add in your almond milk and then blend for about 1-2 minutes longer, until combined.

Roll into balls, coat in hemp hearts, and then store in the freezer!

Eat whenever pleases you & enjoy them!

Paleo Zucchini Bread // GLuten-Free & Dairy-Free

I don’t know about you, but when It comes to Zucchini Bread I take things VERY seriously. Zucchini bread is one of those foods that is a win-win for both adult and child. Offering a sweet bread that kids and adults love while sneaking in some much appreciated green vegetables! Now even though it’s a winner, some of the more traditional recipes usually call for a good amount of gluten, dairy, sugar, etc. that usually put the zucchinis hard work down.

I was trying to figure out a way to make zucchini bread healthier without taking away all the good things it had to go for it. Things like a perfectly moist (don’t you just love that word?) and its sweet caramel taste!

Well, I have done it, folks, this Zucchini bread is Refines sugar-free, dairy free, gluten free, and can be made without oil if you substitute it for Applesauce! So here’s the recipe you and your taste buds have been missing out on!

Ingredients

• 1 &1/4th cup Almond Flour

• 1/3rd cup Coconut Flour

• 1 & 1/2 Cup Shredded Zucchini

• 6 Soaked Dates

• 3 large Eggs

• 1/4th Apple Sauce of Coconut oil

• 1 tsp Vanilla

• 1 & ½ tsp Baking Powder

• 1 & ½ tsp Cinnamon

• 1 tsp Maca root powder (optional, but gives the recipe more caramel flavors)

• Pinch of salt

Instructions

Soak the dates in hot water for about 10-15 minutes and then drain

Put the Zucchini, Melted Coconut oil, Dates, Eggs, and Vanilla in a blender or food processor and blend until liquid.

Mix together the dry ingredients and then combine with the Liquid Mixture. Put in a bread tin and sprinkle cinnamon and coconut sugar or cacao nibs on top!

Bake in the oven at 350 F for to 45-55 Minutes.

Let cool for about an hour and then enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by!

- Sonya Expert Zucchini Bread Baker.

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Dairy Free Mexican Mocha

Back when Daniel and I were dating long distance we would have dates over skype where we would make fun foods together, watch the same movie and then end our day with an intense game of monopoly!

Since this was the most elaborate date we could have we always tried to mix things up and make it interesting! One of the ways we had fun with our dates was picking fun recipes! We made things like homemade macaroni and cheese, a souffle recipe from a video game, and my favorite, the Mexican Mocha!

This drink packs a punch with the cayenne and cinnamon spice that offers a unique flavor! The spice is met with espresso and creamy milk that balances out the whole drink.

I wanted to create a go-to recipe for what I believe to be the perfect balance of flavor, so here you go!

Ingredients

Spice Mix - Makes about 4 tbsp.

· 2 Tbsp. Coconut Sugar

2 tbsp. Cocoa Powder

· 1 tsp Cinnamon

· 1/8th tsp. Cayenne

· Pinch of Salt

Drink

· 2 tbsp. Spice Mix

· 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

· 1 shots Espresso

· 1 cup Milk of choice

Directions

Mix the dry ingredients until combined.

Pour 2 tablespoons of the mixture into a cup and add in the vanilla. If you have an espresso machine, froth the milk and then pull one shot of espresso. Pour the espresso into the cup and mix until fully combined. Pour in your milk and enjoy!

If you do not have an espresso machine heat up the milk on medium in a small pot. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the mixture and add in the vanilla and about 1/4th cup of strong coffee.

Once heated pour & enjoy!