Mango Coconut Bites

I can't stop with coconut lately. Or granola bars for that matter. These were intended to be granola bars, but I figured I should give them a break and made these into smaller bite sized treats. Then dipped them in chocolate, because that was the obvious choice!

Dipping them in chocolate proved a bit difficult since I don't have any toothpicks, and so I tried using a fork but kept dropping them into the chocolate and not being able to retrieve them. I ended up just drizzling the rest of them with chocolate and sprinkling some more coconut on top!

These are best when stored in the freezer, it gives them a nice chewy texture which slows you down so you enjoy them a little longer. That works in theory, but I'm pretty sure I was swallowing them whole. You could make them into bars as well if you'd rather go that route.

Mango Coconut Bites


1/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup puffed quinoa
1/4 cup buckwheat groats
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 cup dates
1/4 cup fresh mango
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Grind the almonds to a powder in blender, then mix with puffed quinoa, buckwheat, oats, and coconut in a bowl. In the blender blend the dates, mango, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Mix into dry mixture in bowl, then roll spoonfuls into balls. Place in freezer to set and store.

If dipping in chocolate let set in freezer for about an hour, then melt some chocolate in a bowl and dip bites in to cover. Or drizzle on top and top with coconut!

The dates are sometimes easier to blend if you soak them in water for 10 minutes before.

Tropical Superfood Bars

A huge part of being successful in keeping healthy eating habits, or being a vegan is being prepared. I bring snacks everywhere, and energy/protein bars are super handy and easy to carry. A lot of bars available though are packed with not so healthy for you ingredients, and are more like glorified candy bars. In general you want to steer clear of bars with ingredients that you aren't aware what they are, isolate powders, artificial sweeteners, or anything you can't pronounce. I look for ones that are within the 200-300 calorie range, with a decent protein/fiber content(5g and over usually for protein), and not too much sugar. A few favorites are Larabars, Macrobars, and the occasional Clif Bar or Luna Bar, although they're a little more processed than I generally like.

Bars are incredibly easy to make, and much more cost effective! I like to wrap them individually and store them in the freezer so they stay fresh and are ready to grab on the go. These ones come together in minutes, and are slightly tropical flavoured. There's no baking involved, you simply mix them and pop the tray in the freezer.

While superfood is a broad, unregulated term, and I don't really think that stuffing your face with superfoods will cure all what ails you, any foods that pack an extra nutritional punch are a plus! The goji berries in here are high in antioxidants, protein and iron. Puffed quinoa adds some complete protein and fiber, buckwheat is packed with magnesium and trytophan. Oats help reduce cholestrol, and digest slowly to prevent spikes in blood sugar. Coconut oil is a healthy fat and a great source of energy. So overall, they're pretty amazing for you!

Tropical Superfood Bars


1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup puffed quinoa(available in the cereal section of most health food stores)
1/4 cup buckwheat groats
1/4 cup almond flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbspns coconut oil
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/2 mashed banana
pinch of salt
1/4 cup dried pineapple chunks
1/4 cup goji berries
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Mix oats, quinoa, buckwheat, pineapple, goji berries, coconut, chocolate chips, and almond flour in a bowl. Mix coconut oil, vanilla, agave, and banana in a seperate bowl. Mix wet with dry ingredients, and press into a 9x9 pan firmly(line the pan with tin foil for ease in removal). Let set in freezer, then cut into bars.

Rest Days & Lara Bars

This Monday when I went to do my workout my body just felt exhausted. Which is to be expected I guess, I'm bad at trying to take rest days. Comes with the territory of never feeling like I'm doing enough, I guess. But I'm trying to learn to listen to my body's cues, and so it says it's exhausted I guess I've got to give it a break. I've been taking it easy the past couple days and just doing a little bit of pilates and yoga, and making tons of goodies in the meantime.

I saw the recipe for a Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie, so I decided to make mini versions of that! I halved the recipe, and swapped applesauce for mashed banana. I also accidentally forgot the oil, but since I used coconut milk which is fairly high in fat it didn't affect it too much. They're to die for!!!

Since I had purchased the biggest bag of dates ever, I decided to make something else I've been meaning to try forever; making my own Lara Bars. I just kept adding random things from my cupboard into them, and they turned out great! One thing I love about recipes like this is they're so open to experimentation, you can swap out different types of nuts, and whatever goodies you want to put in them. I went with chocolate chips, chocolate protein powder, and cocoa powder(there's never enough chocolate). A handful of gojis and hemp seeds finished it off!

Chocolate Cashew Energy Bars

1 cup Cashews(or any nut)
1 1/2 cups pitted dates
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 scoop chocolate protein powder(I used Vega)
1/4 cup goji berries
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Process everything in a food processor(I used my vitamix and did small batches, but a food processor would definitely be better) until it starts to stick together. Press into a parchment lined pan, and let set in the fridge or freezer for a couple hours. Cut into slices and enjoy!

Nutritional Info(1 serving of 12)
Calories: 140
Protein 5 grams
Fibre: 3 grams