Vegan * Kosher-Friendly * Halal-Friendly
Introduction
Accompanies: Milk, hot coffee, hot tea
Preparation Time: Approximately one hour
Serving Size: One or two bars
Number of Servings: As many or as few as you choose to cut. ;)
Ingredients and Equipment
3/4 cup rolled oats (preferably baby oats, if available)
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup almond oil
2 oz. soft tofu (approximately 1/6 of an average tofu “brick”)
1 cup sliced dried apricots
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
6 tbsp. apple juice
1/3 cup honey
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. double-acting baking powder
1 large bowl (1/2 gallon/2 liter)
1 medium-sized bowl (1 quart/1 liter)
1 cookie sheet (15.5 x 10.5 inches/approximately 38 x 26 centimeters)
Measuring cups and spoons of choice
Mixing spoons of choice
Knife or cutter of choice to cut bars
Spatula of choice to extract bars
1 standard or convection oven large enough for the cookie sheet
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F/163 degrees C.
- Cover all interior surfaces of the cookie sheet with a thin film of oil or non-stick cooking spray.
- In the large bowl, mix together the almond oil and the honey.
- Add the soft tofu and the apple juice, and mix until the ingredients form a soft, gooey paste.
- Add the dried apricots, the almonds, and the coconut, and mix thoroughly until all the solid ingredients are covered with the paste.
- In the medium sized bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Add the rolled oats, and mix thoroughly.
- Add the dry ingredients in the medium sized bowl to the wet ingredients in the large bowl, and combine thoroughly.
- Let the mixture sit for thirty minutes.
- Put the mixture onto the cookie sheet, and spread as evenly as possible from edge to edge.
- Put the cookie sheet in the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the dough begins to pull away from the side.
- Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- Cut the bars. I prefer to cut one sheet into 24 bars, but larger is fine.
Variations
- To get rid of all saturated fat, omit the coconut and substitute extra apricots and almonds.
- To make the recipe more diabetic-friendly, omit the honey and substitute a small amount of extra apricots and two more tablespoons of apple juice.
- For a richer taste and heavier texture, use 1/2 cup butter instead of almond oil, and one egg instead of 2 oz tofu. Please note that this makes the recipe non-vegan, and (if the egg is fertile, as I prefer) non-vegetarian.
Notes
As with all desserts, diabetics should take care and not overdo. This dessert, especially if prepared by omitting the honey and adding more apricots and apple juice, is as diabetic friendly as any dessert. It is also cholesterol free if prepared in any vegan version, and quite healthy.