Raw Coffee and Walnut Brownies

Written By Alice Kabala

The oat bars we sell at CAMYOGA are really popular as a nutrient-dense energy-boosting snack, packed with nuts, dates, oats and bananas. These coffee and walnut brownies were born out of the pressure from a certain staff member to develop a banana-free version (a vegetarian who doesn’t like bananas?!), and they were very popular! Coffee and walnut is a classic combination but very often found in high-sugar cakes and afternoon treats. With these brownies, you can enjoy these traditional flavours, but with a more natural form of sweetener, and more nutritious oats in the place of refined flour. Make sure to use really good coffee as it’s a prominent flavour!

Recipe

For the base:
700g oats
250g dates
180ml strong coffee
2 tsp vanilla extract
200g maple syrup
200g walnuts, roughly chopped
Pinch of salt

For the topping:
250g dates
50g coconut oil
60ml strong coffee
60g maple syrup
100g walnuts, whole

Directions

Soak the dates for the base and for the topping in separate bowls/jugs of boiling hot water for 10 minutes, and then drain

Grind 500g of the oats (and keep the 200g of the remaining oats whole)

Process the dates for the base in the food processor with the coffee, vanilla extract, maple syrup and salt until a smooth paste is formed

In a large bowl, combine the date puree, the oats (ground and whole) and the chopped walnuts and mix thoroughly

Push the mixture in to a lined baking tray measuring 12 inch X 9 inch

For the topping, process the second lot of dates with the coconut oil, strong coffee, and maple syrup until smooth.

Spread this mixture on to the base and sprinkle over the remaining walnuts. Set in the fridge and cut into 16 pieces. They will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 weeks.

Recipe by CAMYOGA chef Alice Kabala

me.jpg
 
Alice Kabala

Alice fell in love with cooking after deciding to turn vegan in 2011, and being confronted with numerous mediocre offerings on the vegan food scene.

Stemming from a love of eating, and a staunch refusal to eat substandard food, she began experimenting with ways of preparing vegan fare in a more exciting manner. Vegan for environmental and ethical reasons, she aims to promote the importance of a more sustainable diet: buying and eating local and seasonal plant foods, limiting waste and eating mindfully. Keen to encourage a change in people’s eating habits and to eliminate the stigma surrounding ‘vegan food’, she seeks to demonstrate how veganism can be just as satisfying as a meat-based or vegetarian diet, yet much healthier and rewarding! She loves cooking a broad array of hot and cold savoury dishes, but firmly eschews almost all forms of baking: breads, pastries and sponges do not feature regularly on her menu! As well as cooking and designing menus at CAMYOGA, she contributes towards their very own blog, where her recipes sit alongside various resources for developing healthier and happier lives.

When she’s away from work, she posts on her personal food blog which focuses solely on healthy vegan recipes and aims to educate people about the ingredients on their plate, as well as instruction on how to cook with them.

http://www.thoughtfulforkfuls.com/
Previous

Guest Blogger Rachel Mariner Talks about Yoga, Life, Love, and her New Play
Next

Middle Eastern Couscous Salad