Instead of just rolled oats I use a four grain mix that includes rolled oats, rye, barley and wheat. The grains have been precooked and then flattened to make them quick to prepare, just like oats often are. This specific four grain mix can be bought in any little grocery in Finland, and we usually cook it into porridge which takes 3 to 10 minutes – we use organic cereals that are ready in 5 minutes. Of course there’s a whole world of cereals, nuts, dried fruit, and seeds you could toss in these bars!

I’ve made three variations so far and they’re all pretty great – the one with peanut butter and sunflower seeds is a basic cupboard-staple option with a sweet caramel undertone, cocoa with cherries is always a lovely combo and satisfies my sweet-tooth quite perfectly, and the mandarin-pistachio-cranberry-goji is the most colorful and sparkles with fruity flavor. I would make each one of these again, but to be honest I guess it is much more likely I’ll experiment with new combinations and ingredients for each batch I make!

Basic Peanut Sunflower Snack Bars:

• 1 and 1/2 dl four grain cereal (or rolled oats)
• 1/2 dl gram (besan, chick pea) flour
• 1/2 dl sunflower seeds
• 1 dl whole cane sugar
• 1/2 dl apple juice
• 3 tablespoons smooth natural peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Cocoa Cherry Quinoa Snack Bars (pictured below):

• 1 dl four grain cereal (or rolled oats)
• 1/2 dl gram (besan, chick pea) flour
• 1 dl puffed quinoa
• 1/2 dl dried cherries, chopped
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 dl whole cane sugar
• 1/2 dl unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 tablespoons cashew butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Zesty Berry Pistachio Snack Bars (pictured above):

• 1 dl four grain cereal (or rolled oats)
• 3/4 dl gram (besan, chick pea) flour
• 1 dl puffed quinoa
• 1/2 dl dried cranberries, chopped
• 1/2 dl dried goji berries, chopped
• 1 dl whole cane sugar
• 1/2 dl unsweetened mango sauce
• 1 dl (unsalted, shelled) pistachios, chopped
• grated zest of 1 organic mandarin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

I toasted the cereal and gram flour (and sunflower seeds for the peanut version, or walnuts for the pistachio one) on a dry frying pan until fragrant and just lightly browned, for about 10 minutes.

While I was toasting the cereal, I placed the sugar and the apple juice (or the apple sauce for the cocoa version, or mango sauce for the pistachio one) in a small cooking pan and cooked over medium heat for about 6 minutes until thick and bubbly. Then I added the nut butter (if used), salt, vanilla, and cinnamon or cocoa powder (if used) in the pan and mixed thoroughly.

Now I poured everything in a mixing bowl and stirred with a fork until there were no dry lumps visible. I placed the dough between two pieces of baking parchment and pressed it with my fingers (I needed to use oven mittens, it was so hot) to a square about 3/4 cm thick. Then I let it set in room temperature, which took about an hour or so, before cutting into bars – this batch makes about 9 to 12 depending on how large you like them. If the bars seem too sticky, I let them dry on the counter for about an hour on each side and they’re easier to handle.

I store these in zip-lock bags, separated by layers of parchment paper to avoid sticking, and in room temperature – these keep pretty well, and this batch isn’t huge either. In warmer climates it might be a good option to store these in the fridge, tightly sealed to avoid moisture creeping in.

This sorbet melts really quickly, since its texture depends on the icy frozen berries, so it must be served immediately after making. We always use our immersion blender for this, but some blenders might not be sturdy enough for the job, so it’s important to proceed cautiously.

Instant Sorbet:

• 3 dl frozen strawberries (or raspberries, or blueberries)
• 1 to 1 and 1/2 dl soy yogurt (or soy milk, or fruit purée)
• 3 tablespoons agave (or other light) syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or lime zest, or a thin slice of ginger)

We just measure everything in a small bowl, and use our immersion blender to purée until smooth.

The basic version can be varied indefinitely – a sorbet made of strawberries with mango purée and a slice of fresh ginger is especially delicious!

The white chocolate I used was Bonvita Rice Milk White Bar, and the reason I baked it into cookies was that it’s completely too sweet to eat as is. I love white chocolate, but will stick with the Organica White Bar variety from now on – if I’m able to hunt it down somewhere in Helsinki.

Two of the cookie flavors had white chocolate in them, and compared to the dark chocolate cookies, those were a lot sweeter. All in all, I liked all three, and would definitely make each one of them again!

The Wet Mix:

• 1 dl canola oil
• 1 and 1/2 dl raw cane sugar
• 1 dl soy milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanilla sugar)

The Dry Mix:

• 3 dl whole spelt flour
• 1 dl wheat flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 dl rolled oats

Additions:

• 55 g vegan white chocolate, chopped
• 55 g vegan semi-dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 dl dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder

I mixed the wet and dry mixes in separate bowls first, and then combined the two with a wooden fork. Now, I divided the dough in three equal parts, and then mixed in the chocolates and the cranberries: in the first part, I put half of the white chocolate and one third of the dark chocolate; in the second part, I added the cocoa powder and the rest of the dark chocolate; and in the third, I mixed the cranberries and the second half of the white chocolate. The dough was quite sticky and stiff at this point, so it took a little effort to get everything well mixed.

I covered three baking sheets with baking parchment. I scooped the dough on baking sheets, one tablespoon at a time, and then flattened the cookies with a fork dipped in cold water. I ended up with 12 of each variety. Then I baked the cookies at 200 degrees Celsius for 7-8 minutes.

I used all kinds of green things in these cupcakes; an apple, melon seeds, kiwi fruits, and green food coloring for the icing (had we had frozen parsley, I would have squeezed out its juice to be used as a natural food coloring). The cake itself was disappointingly pale after baking, but the artificial greenness of the icing remained. I had never heard of baking fresh kiwi fruits in a cake, and the experiment was a success: the cupcakes had a mild kiwi taste, a light and moist texture, and the kiwi fruit cubes provided a slightly tangy edge when bitten into. And these cupcakes got excellent reviews – “the best muffin I have ever tasted” remarked a relative after having one (there is no word for cupcake in Finnish), and Heikki said that they were “probably the best cupcakes you’ve ever baked”.

The Fruit:

• 2 (organic) kiwi fruits, peeled and finely cubed
• 1 Granny Smith Apple, very well washed and grated

Dry Mix:

• 1 dl pumpkin seeds, finely ground
• 2 dl wheat flour
• 1 dl potato starch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt

Wet Mix:

• 2 dl plain, unsweetened soy yogurt
• 1 dl unsweetened soy milk
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 dl confectioner’s sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• grated peel of 1 lemon

I ground the pumpkin seeds in our mini food processor, and preheated the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. At this point, I greased and floured my muffin tin as well.

Then I washed my apple thoroughly, and grated it. I didn’t peel the apple because I thought the peel would give the cupcakes some green color – it didn’t, so I’d say it’s best to get rid of the peels, because they have a lot of preservatives. I peeled the kiwi fruits and cut them in small cubes. I have a feeling that organic kiwi fruits are slightly larger than the non-organic ones we’ve had, so 3 smaller kiwi fruits wouldn’t be exaggeration.

Now, I mixed the wet mix and the dry mix in separate bowls, and then combined the two. I mixed the batter with a wooden fork just enough to combine, and then poured the batter in the prepared muffin tin, filling the cups about 2/3 of full.

Now, I baked the cupcakes in 175 degrees for about 23 minutes, until they were lightly browned over the top. The cupcakes were not very pretty straight out of the oven, because there’s so much fruit in the batter, but the icing makes them shiny and smooth. I let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, and then removed them to prevent sogginess.

Green Cashew Icing:

This icing is very rich and sweet, and the recipe makes more than enough to ice 12 cupcakes. Half the recipe would be just enough to make a thinner layer of icing.

• 1 dl cashew nuts, toasted and finely ground
• 1/2 dl unsweetened soy milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable margarine, in room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
• a pinch of green food coloring
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons potato starch
• 2-3 dl confectioner’s sugar

After I’d put the cupcakes in the oven, I measured the margarine and the soy milk in small cups, and let them warm up to room temperature. I ground the cashews in our small food processor, then added the soy milk, and processed until the two were completely combined, and resembled a thick cream.

Now, I combined the margarine and the cashew mixture in a big bowl, and mixed them with a hand held mixer for a few minutes. Now, I added the rest of the ingredients one by one, beating in between: agave nectar, vanilla sugar, lemon juice, food coloring, potato starch, and confectioner’s sugar. I started with 2 dl of sugar, and added it tablespoon at a time until the consistency was still sort of runny and almost thick enough to be piped. Now, I refrigerated the frosting until my cupcakes had cooled down, and then piped it on the cupcakes.

It’s best to let the frosting dry up in room temperature for a few hours before refrigerating the frosted cupcakes. Also, I recommend only frosting the cupcakes that will be eaten on the same day, because otherwise they will get soggy in the fridge.

Maple syrup is a little bit of a luxury item, but it does deepen the flavor of these muffins. I ground the raisins along with the flaxseed because I am not a big raisin lover and still wanted to get some of their fruity sweetness. Lemon grass powder produced a nice, bitter edge with the sweeter flavors of cardamom and cinnamon, but ginger powder would be a more traditional addition.

Dry mix:

• 1 and 1/2 dl wheat flour
• 1 dl spelt flour
• 1 and 1/2 dl rolled oats, finely ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon dried lemongrass powder
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet mix:

• I mixed these in an electric mixer first:
  • 1 dl raisins
  • 1 dl soy milk
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

• 1 and 1/2 dl soy milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 dl maple syrup
• 1/2 dl (or a little less) canola oil
• 1 organic carrot, brushed and finely grated or ground

First, I made the flaxseed “egg” by grinding the raisins, flaxseed, and 1 dl soy milk in our food processor until they formed an emulsified mixture. I also ground the rolled oats until they resembled a coarse flour, a little like spelt flour, and then coarsely ground the carrot as well. We have a mini food processor attachment to our immersion blender, and that’s my best friend when preparing ingredients like these.

Now, I mixed the wet and the dry mix in separate bowls first, and then combined the two. I stirred the batter with a wooden fork just until incorporated, and then filled the cups of my prepared muffin tin up to two thirds. This batter made exactly twelve muffins.

I baked the muffins in 180 degrees Celsius for about 18 minutes, and after a few minutes removed them from the muffin tin to cool down.

I wouldn’t call this only subtly sweet like Mel from Veglicious did. Finns would compare this to whipped cream, which is the most common cake topping here, and this has the level of sweetness of a light buttercream frosting. On the other hand, the vegan whipped toppings that are commercially produced are always very sweet, and this topping was a lot nicer both in flavor and in consistency than any of the ready-made ones we’ve tried. Maybe the amount of sugar could be reduced even further, but the texture was so nice and fluffy that I wouldn’t mess with the proportions too much.

The important thing here is to remember that the ingredients should all be in room temperature when mixed; margarine needs to be warmed after the fridge, and the milk-starch mixture needs to be cooled after boiling.

Here’s what I used:

• 1,2 dl soy milk
• 1 teaspoon barley (or corn or potato) starch
• 75 g vegan margarine, in room temperature
• 1 dl granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar

And here are Mel’s instructions from the original post:

“Pour all but 2 tbs. of the milk into a small saucepan. Stir the cornstarch into the remaining milk until all the lumps disappear, then pour mixture into the rest of the milk. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.

Cream butter and sugar together with a stand or hand mixer for 3-5 minutes, then add extracts. Continue to beat while adding cooled milk mixture, a little at a time, until fully incorporated, stopping to scrape down sides as necessary. Beat for 2-3 more minutes until light and fluffy. Powdered sugar may be added at this time to increase sweetness (or to thicken), if desired. ”

Thanks Mel – for the permission to post this recipe, and especially for the recipe itself!

I got this recipe from a friend, who had tried and liked the original non-vegan version. My filling has silken tofu and soy yogurt instead of eggs and cream, and I added some vanilla and rum extracts to compliment the coffee flavor. Our servings were decorated with a few shavings of my precious vegan white chocolate, a name day gift I got from Heikki on Sunday.

First, I set the oven to 175 degrees Celsius.

Crust:

• 3 and 1/4 dl wheat flour
• 1 dl dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 dl granulated sugar
• 150 g vegan baking margarine
• 2 tablespoons cold water

I mixed everything together with my fingers, until a stiff dough appeared. I formed the dough in a ball shape, then wrapped it in plastic wrap, and refrigerated for an hour and a half.

Then I placed the dough on a lightly floured sheet of baking parchment, and rolled it in a circular form with a rolling pin, until it was a little larger than my pie dish. Now, I greased and floured my pie dish, and then placed the crust in the dish with the help of the baking parchment, removed the parchment, and leveled the sides along the upper rim of the dish.

I prebaked the crust in the lower part of the oven, preheated to 175 degrees Celsius, for 20 minutes. After baking the crust, I let it cool for about 10 minutes, while I was preparing the filling.

Filling:

• 350 g (1 package) silken tofu (we had Mori-Nu Firm)
• 1 dl plain soy yogurt
• 1 and 1/2 dl granulated sugar
• 1 and 1/2 dl very strong coffee (brewed with a Moka Express)
• 1/2 dl canola oil
• 2 tablespoons barley (or potato or corn) starch
• 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

To make the filling, I just mixed everything up with a hand held immersion mixer. It took about 5 minutes until the tofu had become completely smooth, and the sugar had melted. Now, I poured the filling in the prebaked crust, and baked the pie on the middle rack of the oven for about 20 minutes, until the filling had settled somewhat.

Topping:

• 100 g vegan chocolate

I shredded the chocolate and sprinkled it over the pie when it was still hot, so that the chocolate melted a little. Now I refrigerated the mocha pie for a few hours, and when chilled, the chocolate turned into a crunchy layer.