Do not adjust your monitors, you are on the right food blog. That’s right, this post is vegan. The blog that is home of the candy bar cheesecake has gone vegan and healthy. Well, for one post at least. You see, I have been feeling kind of uninspired in the kitchen lately. Sure, there are so many things I want to make but then that’s it. I look at the recipe, I bake it, I eat it, I photograph it, I eat it, I blog about it while eating it, then that’s it (well, then we finish eating it).

I think what I have been missing is the feeling of being challenged. Where you go in the kitchen and rather than easily go through the motions, you read the recipe instructions and say ‘Wait, this actually works?’ or ‘What in the world am I cooking?’ And if there is one thing I know absolutly nothing about, it’s vegan baking.

The bars were a major success, though I can’t take full credit. I was recently sent some Stevia products to try from NuNaturals. Along with the products were many recipes, and one was for Vegan Energy Bars (that ThankYouandPeas created). They sounded great and with all the walks I have been going on lately, I would love a little snack to have before hand rather than those boring rice cakes I have been eating. Also, the ingredient list wasn’t intimidating as some vegan baking recipes can have.

This is the Stevia baking blend used in the recipe. I am looking forward to learning how to bake with stevia and becoming more comfortable. Here are a  few ingredients I used in the bars.

I figured Earth Balance Almond Butter has to be better for me than Jiff. Right? Besides the fact that you have to stir the peanut butter up before using (that drives me nuts with natural nut butters), it tastes great.

This is the milled flax seed I use from Pizzey’s Premium. I have a huge bag that is going to last me a while. I love adding it to smoothies and sneaking into baked goods.

Cinnamon matters. I don’t think cinnamon is an ingredient you want to go cheap on (considering the better quality cinnamon isn’t that much more in price.) I use Red Ape cinnamon which I was sent last month. I just love the smell, the taste, everything about it.

Vegan Energy Bars
Recipe adapted from Peas and Thank You
yield: 12 bars

1 1/2 cups Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 cup California Raisins
1/4 cup Unsweetened Carob Chips (or chocolate)
1/2 cup Nut Butter
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/4 cup NuNaturals Stevia Baking Blend
2 TBS Ground Flax Seed + 6 TBS Water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. Combine flax seeds and water, then set aside.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, then stir in raisins and carob chips.
3. In a separate bowl, combine syrup, Stevia baking blend and nut butter. Mix until smooth.
4. Combine nut butter mixture with flax seed/water mixture and stir.
5. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix well. The mixture will be dry, but keep stirring.
6. Press mixture into a pan sprayed 8×8 baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Allow pan to cool slightly before cutting into bars.

The energy bars will be great for my school week and study sessions. Yep, I started school! I am officially a photography major. That sounds so fancy. Having been to all 4 of my classes just once now, my head is spinning with information and I realize I have SO MUCH to learn. And I am excited to learn it all. When I was in culinary school (which happens to be on the same campus) we were assigned a lot of work that I found silly. I mean how are you going to learn how to cook while writing papers and essays? But the homework thus far has been neat. Photoshop assignments, photography assignments, and a few essays.