Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies & Dairy-Free Milk

Here Comes Santa Claus

Santa is on his merry way, and he'll be looking for a tall glass of milk and a plate full of cookies when he comes down your chimney! I’m sharing with you a new, nutritious and delicious plant-based way to enjoy this timeless classic.

Not only are these chocolate chip cookies vegan, they're also oil-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free! And you guessed it—the milk is dairy-free, vegan, and full of healthy fats and proteins to keep you feeling your very best!

View fullsize

View fullsize

Santa’s Cookie-Baking Secret

Set aside a handful of chocolate chips to pop on top of your cookies after baking. Simply set your oven to Broil and place the cookie sheet back in the oven for about 30 seconds, and you’ve got the tastiest looking melted chocolate chip cookies on the block!

---

My New Favorite Kitchen Tool

I recently received an Almond Cow plant milk maker, and I haven’t gone back since! This appliance makes homemade, dairy-free milks so much easier and more effortless to whip up! No straining through a nut milk bag and struggling to clean it out, and it blends nuts, seeds, and dates so much better than my blender does!

Simply add your plant of choice + water + add-ins of your choice + press the button for instant homemade milk!

Almond Cow says it best: Milk made simple. No bells and whistles, just the perfect milk at the touch of a button!

---

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Santa’s new favorite cookies are sure to please his palate and his waistline! These super soft and chewy treats contain only the purest ingredients—applesauce and almond butter replaces the need for oil, and ground flaxseeds eliminate the need for eggs. Coconut sugar is far less refined than white sugar, and gluten-free oat flour is much more gut-friendly! Even the antioxidant-rich, dark chocolate chips are an upgrade!

vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, ooey, gooey, soft + chewy!

time: 20min // servings: 24

View fullsize

ingredients:

• 1/3 cup applesauce

• 1/3 cup almond butter

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar

• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds

• 2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring or extract

• 1.5 cups oat flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips or carob chips

method:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line two baking sheets with silpat or parchment.

2. Combine applesauce, almond butter, coconut sugar, and ground flax in large mixing bowl. After mixed well, stir in vanilla flavoring.

3. Add oat flour, baking soda, and salt and mix well.

4. Stir in chocolate chips, saving a small amount to place directly on top of cookies.

5. Place 1.5 tablespoon-size dough balls on baking sheets about 2 inches apart, and lightly press to flatten a bit. Pop in oven for 8-10 minutes (less time for softer cookies—I did 8 minutes for super chewy, gooey cookies)!

6. Remove cookies from oven and let set on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack or plate.

---

Dairy-Free Hemp Milk

Almonds aren’t the only dairy-free milk-maker on the block. Hemp seeds are a fantastic alternative for those who suffer from nut allergies, and are also rich in healthy, ALA fatty acids. On top of that, hemp is a complete protein. This tiny seeds pack a powerful punch and a slightly “nutty” flavor that pairs well with the sweetness of dates and the aroma of vanilla bean!

vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, rich + frothy!

time: 5min // servings: 6

View fullsize

ingredients:

• 1 cup hemp seeds

• 4-5 cups water

• 3 large or 6 small pitted dates (soaked in water first, if dry)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring or extract

• dash of salt

method:

1. Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Pour through nut milk bag over large bowl, to eliminate any debris.

   -OR-

2. Place hemp seeds, dates, and salt in Almond Cow container and secure.

3. Fill pitcher with water to minimum fill line. Add vanilla flavoring to water, place lid on top, and press button to blend.

4. Pour into glass jar, seal, and refrigerate. Use within 3 days.

---

As Seen On YouTube

Be sure to join us as we prepare for Christmas Eve and Santa Claus on the EatMoveRest YouTube channel, and be sure to Subscribe, turn on Notifications, give it a Thumbs Up, leave us some love in the Comments, and Share with family and friends!

---

You Might Also Like

---

Merry + Bright

From our hearts to yours, Dusty and I would like to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Bright New Year! We can’t wait to introduce Baby S to all of you as we embark on this new chapter in our journey!

Designed For Your Lifestyle,

Erin

Homemade Banana Bread | Gluten-free + Vegan

View fullsize

Bananas For Bananas

We love bananas! In fact, the hubs and I buy them by the case—40lbs and about 100 bananas total! We like to let them get all ripe, sweet, speckled, and freckled, peel them, and freeze them by the dozens to throw into plant-powered smoothies year-round! That being said, sometimes they do sit out on the countertop a little too long—it’s rare, but it does happen!

When your bananas surpass the leopard-spotted phase to the all-black stage, there’s only one option left…and it’s a tasty one: BANANA BREAD!

I don’t bake often, but whenever I do, I wonder why not! It’s so rewarding, especially when you can find a way to use whole, fresh, and clean ingredients, and even manage to steer clear of gluten! This recipe is hubby-approved, and I know you’re gonna love it, especially as the temperature drops, and indoor activities like getting messy in the kitchen become more appealing!

Only 9 Ingredients!

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Homemade Upgrades

• Whole Grain Flour: Blending your own whole oat flour is an upgrade from refined, white flour. On top of that, oats are gluten-free—yet another upgrade from conventional flour.

• Flax “Egg”: Ground flax seed makes for a heart-healthy upgrade from eggs. Flax contains more omega-3 fatty acids, and zero cholesterol!

• Almond Butter: Almond butter is a creamy, delicious, and nutritious upgrade that takes the place of using butter or oils.

• Coconut Sugar: This sweetener is far less processed and refined than regular, white granulated sugar, and has an amazing scent!

• Apple Cider Vinegar: A touted “cure-all” that takes the place of baking soda and interacts with baking powder to give baked goods that “lift” as they bake! How many times did I just say bake?!

• Vanilla Flavoring: Vanilla extract contains alcohol, and this upgraded ingredient does not!

• Pink Himalayan Salt: This pretty, pink, ancient salt contains a plethora of trace minerals that refined table salt does not!

---

Homemade Banana Bread

Banana bread is a childhood favorite that everybody knows and loves, and this version is sure to love you back! This delicious and nutritious baked goodness is not only gluten-free, it’s also oil-free, and vegan! A piece of this perfectly moist loaf topped with a dash of cinnamon is sure to please anyone as a mid-day snack or a little slice of Heaven after dinnertime!

gluten-free, oil-free, vegan, banana-riffic!

prep: 15min // bake time: 45-60min

View fullsize

ingredients:

• 3 very brown, ripe bananas

• 2.5 cups gluten-free rolled oats

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar

• 1/4 cup almond butter (look for one that only contains almonds—no oil, sugar, salt, etc.)

• 2 tbsp ground flax seeds + 6 tbsp water

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp vanilla flavoring

• 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt

method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

2. In a small bowl, combine ground flax seed and water, stir, and set aside.

3. In a blender or food processor, blend rolled oats into a fine flour.

4. Add oat flour to medium bowl, along with other dry ingredients: coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

5. In a separate bowl, peel and mash ripe bananas until an even, runny texture is achieved. Add other wet ingredients: almond butter, apple cider vinegar, vanilla flavoring, and flax “egg” to bowl. Mix well.

6. Slowly mix dry ingredients in with wet ingredients. Stir well until all clumps are dissolved, and an even consistency is achieved.

7. Pour batter into a parchment paper-lined or greased bread loaf pan, and smooth top. (Note: I used two mini loaf pans, about 6x3in each).

8. Bake at 350ºF for about 45 minutes (or closer to 60 min if using one regular-size loaf pan). Check often. When top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out cleanly with minimal crumbs, your loaf is ready!

9. Allow to cool on the stovetop for about 10 minutes in the pan. Remove from pan, slice, and enjoy! Feel free to top with vegan butter, nut butter, sliced bananas, cinnamon, etc!

notes:

• Stores best wrapped in saran or a container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

• Feel free to experiment with using another nut or seed butter in place of almond butter.

• You may also use brown sugar or cane sugar in place of coconut sugar, but coconut is your best bet, as it is the least refined.

---

---

View fullsize

Any Way You Slice It

Lately I’ve really been feeling like I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. If you’re feeling the same, remember to live in the present, rather than future-tripping, and to give yourself time to decompress each and every day.

A few things that have helped me to slice up my day and keep things well-balanced, as of late:

1. Establish a self-care morning routine: read, write, pray, meditate, and listen to something encouraging and inspiring!

2. Get your sweat on and get outside, even if it means bundling up and braving the elements.

3. Put your feet up and do something mindless—peruse Pinterest or watch a good movie.

4. Spend time with loved ones—laugh, cry, and give lots of hugs!

5. Create a weekly mantra for yourself—write it down, read it aloud, and believe it!

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right.”

— Henry Ford

Designed For Your Lifestyle,

Erin