I’m sure most of you appreciate being home relaxing on the weekend but this past mid-April weekend with an ice storm in Toronto has most of us feeling STUCK inside the house, unable to see outside through the thick sheet of ice built up on the windows.
For me that means three things:
1. A 35 km/hr journey to get to the grocery store.
2. A cancelled Zumba class and indoor HITT workouts.
3. A healthy baking of sweets and treats that won’t last very long in this house.
With the chilly weather outside, it makes us crave something warm, chewy and comforting on the inside. So why not make it wholesome and nutritious too?
All too often it is easy to buy something from the store, that is overly sweet, full of processed sugar, and other additive ingredients that are not health supportive. As I don’t eat packaged or processed store-bought desserts, what I love about this recipe is that:
It’s quick and easy to make in 30 minutes
Uses only one-bowl
Is a good recipe to make with young kids
Has modifications if you have a nut allergy or are vegan
Using all real ingredients like oats, banana, coconut, and ramping it up with the power of chai spice, these squares are a perfect-sized treat for an afternoon or evening you urge for something sweet.
Used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine, chai spice reaps many health benefits, like being an immune system booster, especially during the cooler months when people are more prone to winter/spring sickness. Chai spice also has anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, digestive aid, and blood sugar balancing properties.
A chai spice blend is a simple and easy addition to a dessert recipe if you have those spices already stocked in your pantry. Spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, and allspice are very versatile and can be used in different cultural cuisines that are Indian, African, or Caribbean inspired.
Try it out and let me know what you think! I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.
Chai Chocolate Chip Coconut Squares
By Jasmin Jagpal
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan Optional, One-Bowl
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yields: 9 squares
Ingredients:
Wet Ingredients:
1 large ripe banana
1/4 cup smooth almond butter (or sub seed butter – see Notes)
1 tbsp raw honey (or sub maple syrup)
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 free-range egg (or sub flax egg – see Notes)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut flakes or chips
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground allspice
Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Celsius. Line an 8 x 8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
Add the ripe banana to a large bowl, and mash until smooth with a fork or potato masher. Add the remaining wet ingredients and mix together.
Add the oats, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, clove, nutmeg and stir everything together well. Fold in the coconut flakes or chips (I used a 1/4 cup of each) and the chocolate chips. Ensure everything is combined well.
Pour the mixture into the pan. Spread out with a spatula to ensure it's even and press everything down gently.
Bake in the oven for 18 - 20 minutes (I did for 20 minutes). Remove from the oven, set aside and allow to cool (at least 45 minutes to an hour). Cut into 9 squares. Enjoy!
Notes:
- If there is a nut allergy, you can substitute nut butter for seed butter (like sunflower or tahini). I haven't tried this variation with a seed butter but if you do, let me know how it is!
- To make a flax egg, grind 1 tbsp of flax seed in a spice grinder, and combine it in a small bowl with 3 tbsp of water. Stir together and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes, until it forms a sticky paste.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
For a link to Amazon for the ingredients, click on my Shop Products tab.
This is what it looks like before it goes into the oven:
Voila! This is what they look like before you gobble them up!
