Homemade Coconut Luna Bars

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Chocolate Dipped Coconut is the best of the Luna bars and this  homemade version is equally good. Let me know if you try it. =)

Coconut Luna Bar Recipe Vegan Homemade Vkrees Food Photography Vanessa Rees

 

Ingredients

  • 3 3/4 cups (99g) Rice crispies cereal (I used a brown rice store brand. You could probably use puffed rice cereal as well.)
  • 2 Tbs (30g) Nut butter (I used almond butter)
  • 2 Tbs Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
  • 4 Tbs (60g) Coconut oil
  • 2 Tbs (42g) Agave nectar
  • 1 Packet Stevia (if you don’t want to use stevia, increase the agave nectar by about 2 Tbs)
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 lb Semisweet chocolate

Directions

  1. Mix your nut butter, sweetener, extract, coconut, coconut oil, stevia, spice, and salt. Melt in the microwave (30-60 seconds) or on the stove.
  2. Pour the mixture over the cereal and and stir. Make sure to coat all the crispies and smash them with the back of your spoon or fork. Add more crispies if the mixture seems too liquid-y and more liquid (coconut oil or nut butter) if it’s not sticking together.
  3. Line a square or rectangle pan with wax paper and spread the mixture evenly throughout it. Place a sheet of wax paper on top of the mixture and use the bottom of a glass to press the mixture down as firmly as you can. Stick it in the freezer.
  4. Temper your chocolate.
  5. Bring the bars out of the freezer and coat the top of it with about 1/4″ of warm chocolate. You won’t use the entire batch of chocolate. Save the leftovers for something else (like cookie dough bites?).
  6. Stick the bars back in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the bars from the pan and slice into about 12 rectangles. Wrap each individual bar in aluminum foil. Keep frozen until your are ready to go.

 

Marshall Cat Food Photography Vkrees Vanessa Rees Photographer NYC

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Lauren - I just tried them tonight, and they were delicious except I found there was too much salt. I’d cut it down to 1/2 tsp, or less. Other than that-YUM! Thanks for the recipe!

Copycat Luna Bars - [...] from V. K. Rees Photography [...]

marla - Great recipe! Will be linking back to this in my post tomorrow.

Katie - Made these for my exams this week. They came out beautifully! Nice work.

put a pin in it | Health Freak College Girl - [...] Food-snacks: Homemade coconut luna bars. [...]

Sue Palmer - Looks and sounds great. can’t wait to try it!

darija - Beautiful pictures! Just beautiful!

vkrees - Yay! Keep them as cold as you can. =) They are best frozen.

jennifer - I am heading to the kitchen to make these TONIGHT. In hopes to toss them in the cooler for our road trip! :) Thanks for the recipe!

jen - Made these the other night. They were a hit!

Delicious!

Angela - Oh hell yes. Bookmarked.

Jamie Walker - OMG – that looks way better than any Luna Bar! Those look AMAZING…so impressed. YUM!

Jes - The coconut sounds perfect in them! Yum :)

naomi - LOVE this recipe. And I’m new to your site and WHOA holy gorgeousness!!!!

Maggie Muggins - I never thought of making homemade luna bars before, the lemon ones are my favorite but I’ve never tried the chocolate coconut ones. That combo is always a winner.

Jesica @ Pencil Kitchen - I’ve never known what Luna bars are. If this is the best one there’s got, I’ve got to start with this one :)

heather - That and the lemon zest flavors are by the far the tastiest; however, my wallet dislikes both generally. I’m happy to have a homemade version to give a go at! I have a bag of puffed kamut that I think I’ll try.

Cheers,

*Heather*

Ashlae - Ok – the luna bars look delicious.. but I cannot take my eyes off of Marshall.

Kelly - Your luna bars look ‘stellar’ but it’s your cat I find myself looking for…

dana @ my little celebration - these look fabulous. and our photos are gorgeous, per usual. Thanks for sharing!

vkrees - Jess: Awww too bad. Try them with rice crispies! =)

jess - these look amazing vanessa. i’ve added crisp brown rice cereal to my shopping list – i tried the pumpkin luna bars you posted with puffed millet and they were very sad, sad bars.

Beet Chips

Friday, November 4, 2011

I’ve tried making beet chips about 6 different ways and each time has been a disappointment. Does anyone have a good recipe?

Beet Chips, Vegan, Healthy, Cashew Dipping Sauce, Raw, Vkrees, Photography

Happy friday. =)

Marshall Cat Food Photography Vkrees Vanessa Rees Photographer

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Yadsia @ShopCookMake - I happen to hate beets. But once, I made beet chips, and they were delicious. Well, as delicious as beets can actually be, which is not much. Just peel a whole beet, cut in very thin pieces, kind of like the potato chips that come in a bag. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle some olive oil and bake at 400 degrees until they’re very crispy. They will continue to crisp up as they cool, but will become soggy if you let them cool completely. I hope you like them!

Elizabeth - I used to make beet chips when I worked as a caterer. We would slice immeasurably thin slices on a razor sharp mandolin, then deep fry them at the highest possible temperature until very crisp. Lots of salt, a good garlicky dip and you’re in heaven.

Kelly - I’ve not made beat chips yet… but seems to me I just saw a recipe on the blogosphere – will send it to you if I can track it down so you can compare notes.

Double Chocolate Cookie Dough Bites

Friday, November 4, 2011

I liked these vegan cookie dough bites so much, I decided to make a double-chocolate version. They are black-bean-based, healthy (well, healthy for a dessert), easy, and super tasty.

Double Chocolate Vegan Cookie Dough Bites Healthy Vanessa Rees Vkrees NYC Brooklyn FOod Photographer PhotographyDouble Chocolate Vegan Cookie Dough Bites Healthy Vanessa Rees Vkrees NYC Brooklyn FOod Photographer Photography


Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cups cooked black beans (1/2 can or 125g)
  • 1.5 Tbs Agave Nectar  or some other kind of liquid sweetener
  • 1/2 packet of Stevia, or to taste, optional 
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 Tbs nut butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp almond milk
  • 2 Tbs cocoa powder
  • 0.5 lb  semisweet baking chocolate


Directions:

  1. Combine all the ingredients except the chocolate in a food processor and transfer to a medium size bowl.
  2. Finely chop up roughly 2 Tbs of chocolate and fold into the batter.
  3. Taste the batter to decide if you need to add more sweetener. Keep in mind that it will be covered in chocolate so it doesn’t need to be too sweet.
  4. Roll the batter into balls the size of blueberries, and put in the freezer until they are hard.
  5. TEMPER the remaining chocolate.
  6. By the time you are done tempering the dough should be frozen. Take the dough out of the freezer and stick a toothpick in the center of each one. Dip the ball into the warm chocolate and tap the toothpick on the edge of the bowl to get the excess chocolate off. Find somewhere to put the ball until the chocolate sets. I turned my colander upside down and stuck the toothpick in one of the holes. Repeat this until all of the balls are coated in chocolate.
  7. Once the chocolate has hardened you can take out the toothpick. This is totally optional. I kind of liked the toothpick.  =)

Marshall Cat Double Chocolate Vegan Cookie Dough Bites Healthy Vanessa Rees Vkrees NYC Brooklyn FOod Photographer Photography

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Andrea - Made these tonight :) I had made some black beans the other night and made sure that I made extra specifically for this recipe! They turned out awesome, and my boyfriend approves of them …just don’t tell him they’re made from black beans ;)

Juliana Britto Schwartz - What BEAUTIFUL photos! I want to make these right now.

vkrees - Good point Kelly. I should have written “stevia to taste” instead. The dough really doesn’t need to be too sweet since it gets covered in chocolate.

Kelly - How extraordinary! When I first read the title ‘cookie dough’, I was expecting the usual, uninteresting (and certainly unhealthy), version. Your recipes are so inventive Vanessa. The black beans and nut butter – fantastic! That’s quite a lot of Stevia you’re calling for… (it’s sweeter tasting than sugar), I might try just with the agave first to see… love this recipe!

Risten - Oh my heavens!

Ashlae - Hot damn! These sound awesome. I just wish beans didn’t tear the heck outta my innards. Maybe I’ll try black lentils?

And Marshall is looking ridiculously handsome in that photo. I need a cat.

Roberta - Hi! I’ve recently found your blog and immediately fell in love with it ly photos and excellent vegan tips. I added your blog to my links hope you don’t mind if I didn’t ask before.
Those chocolate looks gorgeous, hope to try them sooner or later
Roberta@thewiseasparagus

Jes - Hehehe, anti-chocolate cat? :) I’m dying for one of those bites–they’re incredibly decadent looking!

Roy Rogers - Those were extremely tasty but I really cannot get over this photo of Marshall! SO DAMN CUTE! :)

anni - mm they look yummy! what function does the baking soda have?
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