These hybrid protein bars/dessert are perfect for a post-gym snack or for your family dessert! 

Сегодня мы рады поделиться рецептом (на английском языке) веганских протеиновых батончиков. Идея этого рецепта принадлежит Корин Гофф, диетологу из США. Это рецепт сладкого угощения, которое по уровню полезности может соперничать с несладкими блюдами, но в то же время станет любимым лакомством для Вас и Вашей семьи. В рецепте используется минимальное количество сахара, основные ингредиенты богаты белком, поэтому его можно рекомендовать людям ведущим активный образ жизни. 

This recipe is inspired by Corinne Goff's Quinoa Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting, but slightly adapted for the ingredients available at hand. It's actually quite healthy, with lots of protein, and uses no eggs, dairy or wheat! Here you go:

Ingredients:
Brownies (bottom layer)
1 cup cooked quinoa (remember, quinoa expands when you cook it quite a bit so just start with 1/2 a cup when dry!)
1 cup pitted dates, soaked for at least 15-20 minutes in hot water to soften them a bit
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar (optional)
3 tablespoons coconut milk 

Stir the above ingredients together and then blend in a blender. Put in a small pan and cook on 180 C (50 F) for 20 minutes. Let cool. In the meantime, make the frosting:
Frosting
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup hazelnuts or cashews, soaked for a few hours
2 tablespoons coconut milk 
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Combine these ingredients in a blender, then spread on the brownies when cool. Put in the freezer for at least an hour, then cut into bars. Thank you Corinne and thanks very much to Alexandra Colombo for the original referral!

Ingredients:

One cup almonds or walnuts (or a mix!), chopped or blended
1 cup flour - to make gluten free, use a mix of what is available (buckwheat, corn, chickpea, for example)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon each: baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon each: ginger powder and nutmeg
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large ripe banana
3 cups cooked pumpkin (chopped into small pieces or mashed together)
1 cup raisins

Directions: Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and cinnamon, ginger) together in a bowl. Mix the wet ingredients (olive oil, mashed banana, and vanilla) in another bowl.  Add the wet to dry ingredients, stir until just combined. Add the pumpkin, golden raisins, and nuts, stir together until the batter is smooth.

Scoop the batter into a lightly oiled bread pan.  Bake about 30-35 minutes at 180 C. Use a toothpick in the center of the pan to check - when it comes out clean, the pumpkin bread is done!  If the center is still a bit gooey, feel free to put back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.  Enjoy! 

Ready for a creative dessert that tastes an awful lot like apple pie!? We first sampled sweet samosas in Rishikesh, India and decided to recreate our own version in Kazakhstan. They are easy to make and go so well with a cup of tea, either at breakfast or for a quick treat after a meal.
They will also make your whole house smell like a freshly baked pie. Here's how to make them! 



Dough:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon olive or vegetable oil

Mix the flour and oil, then gradually add the warm water, sugar and salt in to the dough. Knead thoroughly and put in a plastic bag to sit for at least 30 minutes. Knead again before rolling.

Filling:

3 apples, cut finely
2 pears, cut finely
Handful of raisins and dried cranberries
Pinch of nutmeg and cinammon
1-2 teaspoons of brown sugar
Optional: splash of lemon juice

Mix all the filling ingredients together and you're ready to stuff your samosas!  

Assembling the samosas:

Roll the samosa dough into 4-5 inch circles, and cut the circle in half with a knife. Using a bit of water, take your semicircle and make a fold in the shape of a triangle. Seal along the fold.

Put this cone carefully between your thumb and index finger and place a ball of the filling inside. Wet your finger and run it along the edges of the dough with water and seal to enclose the stuffing, pinching the edges and folding over.

Once the samosas are assembled, cook at 350 Fahrenheit for 10 minutes on one side, then flip over and cook for 10 minutes on the other side.

This recipe makes about 15 small samosas. Enjoy! 

Looking for a delicious vegan holiday treat? Try these cranberry laced cookies. Your guests won't even guess they're vegan! The orange zest and cinnamon give the cookies a gingerbread-like taste, and the dried cranberries add a great finish!

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips or crushed chocolate bar (vegan)
1 large teaspoon cacao powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Handful of dried cranberries
Zest from 1/3 of an orange

Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and knead the dough with your hands. Once the ingredients are mixed well together, put the dough into a ball and cover in plastic wrap. Chill for at least one hour.  Roll out dough, cut into desired shapes. Makes 16 medium sized cookies.