Vegan Coconut Bars

Chocolate and coconut vegan heaven.

Sometimes you just need a treat. A recipe with coconut and chocolate. After all, you've been so good. You've been munching fresh veggies and brown rice. You've been slurping healing soup with cabbage and drinking green tea. You've been diligent checking labels for gluten, casein, and soy. So it's time for something sweet. Something moist and chewy and perfect with a cup of tea.

Egg-free baking is tricky. And at high altitude, even trickier. Truth be told, I've tossed a dozen egg-free experiments into the trash this summer. But these little vegan gems?

These were keepers.

Vegan Coconut Bars Recipe

Originally published July 2007.

Chill before eating for best texture. or go the other route and zap in the microwave briefly to melt the chocolate chips. Life is short.

Pre-heat oven to 350ÂºF. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking pan

with vegan shortening. Dust with a bit of gluten-free flour.

Whisk together dry ingredients:

1/3 cup coconut flour

2/3 cup sorghum flour

1/3 cup tapioca or potato starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

In a separate bowl, beat to combine:

2/3 cup organic brown sugar

1/4 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
2 1/2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla

1 tablespoon raw organic agave

1/4 cup light organic coconut oil
1/4 cup warm coconut milk

or non-dairy milk, more as needed

When the wet mixture is smooth, slowly add in the dry ingredient mix and beat just until combined.

Add in by hand:

2/3 cup shredded coconut- sweetened or not, you pick

1/2 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

Dump the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Sprinkle on extra chocolate chips if you like (and press them gently into the top).

Bake in the center of a pre-heated oven until the batter is set and slightly golden brown - anywhere from 22 to 30 minutes, depending upon altitude (at high altitude these took almost 35 minutes to bake). The surface should be slightly firm, like a blond brownie (if a finger touch leaves a dent, bake a tad longer).

Cool completely on a wire rack; chill before cutting and wrapping for storage.

These bars are moist and chewy, and are best eaten chilled. Hot from the oven they fall apart.

Makes 15 cookie bars.

Wrap, bag and freeze extras for on-the-go vegan treats.

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

Enjoy sugary treats in moderation. Gluten-Free Goddess advises consuming no more than 2 tablespoons of sugar a day.

Source : http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/07/vegan-coconut-bars.html