Happy Thursday! I hope you’re enjoying the week. Some of you have asked for more life updates in my blog posts, and I think that’s a fun idea to bring back more often! Without further ado, a little update and then the recipe…
Our week has been filled with a grab bag of things, as it usually is! On the business side, the Oh She Glows app work has still been filling our days and keeping us busy. I added 7 new recipes to the app over the past 2 weeks, so I’ve been a busy bee working around the clock! Each time I add a new app recipe I have to re-test the recipe (I also have one of my incredible recipe testers test it as well), re-write the recipe (especially if it’s a recipe published before 2013—let’s just say my recipe writing has changed over the years!), edit the recipe, shoot the photo, and then upload the recipe to the app testing site. From there, I position the recipe title, add metric conversions (all recent and future recipes will have metric conversions on the blog and in the app—major yay!), give the recipe a final edit, and make sure everything looks good before I make it live. (My OCD self usually checks it over a gazillion times.) I’m getting the hang of the process now and I really enjoy it. The great news is even if you don’t have the app you’ll still benefit, because as I’m revamping recipes, I’m adding the updated versions to the original blog posts. This means easier-to-follow recipes, and in many cases, even better-tasting recipes. Check out this video Eric put together below for a sneak peek of 6 recipes that were recently added to the app. I’m having so much fun with the photography.
On the home front, we’ve had quite a bit of excitement this week! You may have read in a recent In the Glow newsletter that this year we’re starting up the home renovation process once again (despite my pregnant self not wanting any part of it!), and right now we’re in the design phase. This week, we met with our designer to go over her drawings of the spaces. The design phase is my favourite phase (aside from when the renos are 100% complete, that is) because it’s all rosy and dreamy and filled with hopes of what could be. There’s no mess, no noise, no going over budget, and no dust (yet). So I love this stage, and Eric and I are pretty quick at making decisions together. We’re planning to finish the unfinished basement and a couple other projects before our second little one arrives in September. I must have fallen on my head to agree to this! Eric loves doing renos so I kind of gave in. I have to admit, going through the kitchen reno while 7–9 months pregnant in 2014 was pretty hellish (to put it lightly…hahah), but I’m hoping this process goes more smoothly since it’s not my kitchen that I’m giving up. NOBODY WANTS TO GIVE UP THEIR FOOD SANCTUARY…am I right? This is probably wishful thinking though. I figure that it’ll be easier doing the renos before the baby arrives because we all know when a newborn is in the house not much is getting done aside from feeding, changing scary diapers, and praying for more sleep. Plus, it would be great to have a finished basement where Adriana can have a real playroom! I’ll keep you guys posted on the journey and hopefully post some progress pictures in months to come.
Today’s recipe features one of the new recipes I uploaded to the app—my current favourite way to satisfy my chocolate fix! I didn’t want anything to do with chocolate during the first trimester, but lately I really crave it from time to time. Eric is so enthusiastic about these cookies I probably shouldn’t write the choice words he yelled out when he tasted them! (If you have our app, this recipe should automatically download when you open it next. Sometimes it can take up to 24 hours to display, but since I uploaded it yesterday afternoon it shouldn’t be long!)
No-Bake Chocolate Fudge Cookies
Yield
8 cookies
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Chill time
15 minutes
Total time
These no-bake fudge cookies are my quick and easy solution when a chocolate craving strikes! I start with a homemade coconut oil chocolate base (made even creamier with sunflower seed butter!), and add chia seeds for healthy Omega-3 fats, shredded coconut for a hint of macaroon flavor and texture, and of course rolled oats for the classic no-bake cookie ingredient. The cookies will soften a great deal at room temperature, so I recommend enjoying them straight from the fridge.
Ingredients
For the wet ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons (45 mL) virgin coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) sunflower seed butter*
- 1/4 cup (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) pure maple syrup, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the dry ingredients:
- 7 tablespoons (50 g) gluten-free rolled oats
- 6 tablespoons (35 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) chia seeds
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
Directions
- Line a large plate with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium pot, melt the coconut oil over low heat. Whisk in the sunflower seed butter, cocoa powder, and maple syrup until smooth. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
- Add the oats, coconut, chia seeds, and salt into the pot and stir well until combined. The mixture will be thick, dense, oily, and gel-like (from the chia seeds), but this is normal. Swear.
- Using a retractable ice cream scoop (approximately 2 tablespoons/30 mL) or simply a spoon, scoop the dough and place the mound onto the plate, leaving a bit of space between each cookie.
- Place the cookies in the freezer to set for about 10 to 15 minutes, until firm, or simply chill in the fridge if you have the patience.
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week, or freeze them for up to 4 to 6 weeks. These cookies have the best texture/flavour straight from the fridge (rather than the freezer) so I prefer to store them in the fridge.
Tip:
- * Instead of sunflower seed butter, feel free to use natural peanut butter or almond butter. I also recommend stirring the nut or seed butter very well before measuring (if it has oil on the top) to avoid oily cookies.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Last but not least, I forgot to announce in last Friday’s post who won the iPad giveaway and stand. A huge congrats to the winner (who was chosen randomly by Rafflecopter), Rochelle E., for winning these two awesome prizes! Rochelle, as I mentioned in my email, they will be on their way to you soon! A big thanks to everyone for entering the contest.
See you tomorrow for another installment of Friday FAQs!
I already made these and they are chilling as I type! Gotta love recipes where you have every ingredient in the house and that are so easy to whip up, even this new mom of twin 11-week old baby boys can do it!!! The batter is delicious and I bet the cookies will be too!!
I love your blog, cookbook, just bought the app and CANT WAIT for cookbook #2!!! I’m not vegan but you have helped me to love vegan foods!!
Oh wow, congratulations on your two new little ones, Kathleen! :) I hope you enjoy the cookies, and thanks so much for the lovely comment!
Oh, I am enjoying them thoroughly! They are so chocolatey and delicious and EASY! Will keep them in my freezer for quick snacks!
thanks Angela! Can’t wait to try these :-)
Have a good weekend
Made them with tahini instead of sunflower seed butter, and coconut sugar instead of maple syrup. Really yummy!
nice one :)
Made them! Didn’t have any chia seeds on hand so I used flax seeds and they’re soooo good!! I can not stop eating them.
I’m so glad to hear they turned out well with the flax seeds, Andrea! Enjoy :)
I was wondering if you use whole flax seed or ground them up. Chia seeds are not my friends, but I love flax seeds!
Do you use quick oats or regular oats in the recipe?
As someone who battles a MAJOR sweet tooth, i admit i was skeptical when i saw this recipe. I was raised with the understanding that sweet treats needed butter and sugar to be good, however i decided that since i have been transitioning over to a much cleaner and healthier diet that i would give these a shot. HOLY!!!!!!!! I cannot even begin to tell you what a shock these cookies were, not only was i able to whip them up in the no time at all, but the finished product was insanely delicious. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, it couldn’t have come at a better time!!
I made these with ground flax instead of chia seeds (didn’t have any on hand) and they were insanely good! I may have eaten all of them in two days …
Just made these … they aren’t quite like a cookie .. more like coconut fudge! I may add walnuts next time :-)
Monica.
Delicious! I have made them with almond butter. The next time I’ll try them with poppy seeds instead of chia seeds, I think this works too. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
These look absolutely wonderful!
I am unable to do chia or hemp seeds. Would flax seed or meal be an ok substitute? Any other ideas? Thank you!
Hi Jen, I haven’t tested these without the chia seeds/with a substitution yet, so I’m not sure! I do think the chia seeds help absorb some of the liquid in these cookies, so I’d worry if they were left out they might be too oily. But I know a couple readers tried the cookies with ground flaxseed instead, and said they turned out well. If you give a substitution a try, I’d love it if you’d report back on how it goes!
Hello Angela, these look simply delicious and I will try them today. I came across your blog a couple of years ago while looking for a green smoothie recipe. It was the beginning of juicing for us. I was impressed with your recipe’s and made quite a few that my husband and I enjoyed immensely even though we are non vegan. Thank you for sharing your ED story, It brought me back to the time I was a chef, at a private residential Eating Disorder Center in Malibu. I cooked there for 9 years and worked closely with the 6 clients who were in recovery. and taught cooking class and meditation. I witnessed great success and the opposite. I am happy you are living life to the fullest with your wee family. I am a new food/life blogger and learning the ropes, and you inspire me to keep going.
So this needs to be tripled because I almost eat all the batter! So good!! The name rings true to the fudgyness! :)
Wow these are amazing! Made them today and they really are ridiculously fudgy!!! The only thing I have to say is you need to triple the recipe! :)
Haha, sounds like an awesome suggestion to me, Megan!
very bitter
You must have done something wrong. They taste like rich sweet fudge.
I made a double batch yesterday and another double batch today! They are so delicious!!
These look amazing! If I can’t eat coconut, what would you recommend I use instead? Thanks!
Hi Kim, that’s a tough one! For the shredded coconut, I would guess that you could use more oats (however the texture and flavour wouldn’t quite be the same). But I can’t think of an alternative for the coconut oil, since it’s responsible for firming up the cookies when chilling. Sorry I can’t be of more help! If you experiment at all, I would love to hear what you come up with.
Just made these — while reheating pizza. So easy! And so tasty! This recipe was posted the day my daughter was born. And it’s the first recipe I made. It’ll be a regular for sure. Perfect new mom snack.
Congrats on your new baby girl, Mary! I’m so glad this easy treat came at the right time. I can’t think of anything better than fudgy chocolate for a new mama. ;)
Angela, I just want to say that I am so proud of you. You are a super hero woman and you inspire me! I’ve been a follower since 2011 and I really appreciated that you posted that comment from a disappointed follower the other week. That was brave and I was seriously impressed. I had the same feelings as her – I was really bummed that your online presence has been quiet, although I knew you were busy doing something awesome. I was also bummed that I couldn’t get the App since I too am an Android user. But your reply was so honest and heartful and genuine. I want you to know that I really appreciated it and it’s SO awesome seeing your posts again and getting updates and new recipes! Welcome back! I love the FAQ Fridays and ALL that you’re doing. You’ve improved tremendously in your writing, posts, photography, creative ideas and recipes – It has been the coolest thing to witness over the years. Congratulations on your second pregnancy!! I’m so excited for you.
And as for this recipe….oh my, everything is allllllll better. I am in bliss. :) The perfect, quickest, healthy(ish) cookie ever. Thank you!!
PS: Just FYI: There are two check boxes that say “Sign me up for the newsletter!” Might be my browser or a code error.