Easy Vegan Chocolate Pudding Oats

READY IN 5 MINUTES!

These Easy Vegan Chocolate Pudding Oats are your quick and easy answer to a dessert-y and plant-based breakfast!  The inclusion of the hot cocoa packet makes them sweet and chocolatey and the coconut yogurt adds a bit of creaminess and coconut flavor.  The strawberries on top round them out with fruity freshness.

Of course you don’t have to use a pre-made cocoa mix if you’d rather make your own, or if it’s more convenient.  You can simply combine cocoa powder, sugar, and salt to taste!

The shredded coconut is optional, but it does add a fun boost of coconut flavor! I love this one.

If you want to try a similar non-vegan oatmeal bowl, these Chocolate Strawberry Protein Oats have a similar flavor profile, but feature greek yogurt instead of coconut, and skip the chia. (In this version, the chia seeds act as a thickener, as plant-based yogurts tend to have a different texture than dairy yogurts.)

This breakfast only takes 5 minutes to throw together, and is a great pick on busy mornings!

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 Cup Quick Oats
  • 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
  • 1 Packet NibMor Hot Cocoa** (or equivalent)
  • 4.5 oz. Plain Coconut Yogurt (or to taste)
  • Fresh Strawberries
  • [Optional Topping: A Sprinkle Of Shredded Coconut]

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Directions:

Cook the oats with water (I used the microwave), making sure they aren’t too dry so that there is enough liquid for the chia and hot cocoa add-ins

Mix in the chia seeds

Then, stir in the hot cocoa packet

Mix in the coconut yogurt

Top with fresh chopped strawberries (and shredded coconut if you wish)

Enjoy!


Want more easy chocolate oats? Try my Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Oats!

Looking for oats of a different flavor? These Sunbutter Berry Overnight Oats are a favorite!

Coconut Oil Brownies

DAIRY-FREE + ONLY 7 SIMPLE INGREDIENTS!

Perfectly fudgy and moist in the center balanced with soft and cakey edges, these super thick dairy-free Coconut Oil Brownies are out of this world!  The virgin coconut oil gives the rich chocolatey flavor a nice coconut undertone, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The delicate balance of fudginess and cakiness is achieved through the combination of using coconut oil along with a small bit of applesauce.  The oil creates the fudginess while the hint of applesauce adds the slightest amount of fluff without drying them out.

While I love a warm brownie straight out of the oven, these brownies truly reach their peak taste and texture a good 12 hours later.  (Yes, I did sample one the following morning at breakfast and it was a very good decision.)  Straight from the oven they have a cakier consistency, but after fully cooling they settle into decadent fudginess!

They are incredible all on their own, but would also taste fabulous with a scoop of ice cream on top.

They only require 7 ingredients and 1 single bowl for mixing, which keeps both baking and cleanup really quick and easy!

Servings: Approx. 9 Brownies

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 Cup Virgin Coconut Oil, melted
  • 2 Cups Cane Sugar
  • 1/3 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
  • 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Cup Unsweetened Dutch-process Cocoa Powder
  • 4 Eggs, room temperature
  • 1 + 1/3 Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips

INGREDIENT NOTES:

Virgin coconut oil provides a stronger coconut taste which I strongly recommend for this recipe. (Refined coconut oil is more neutral.)

Dutch-process cocoa powder is a must!  It’s what’s responsible for the deep dark color as well as the intense chocolate flavor!

LINKS TO INGREDIENT RECOMMENDATIONS:

Virgin Coconut Oil | Applesauce | All-Purpose Flour | Dutch-process Cocoa Powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350º

Line a 9 x 9 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside

Add the coconut oil to a large microwave-safe bowl  (You can use this trick this speed things up:  How To Measure Cold Coconut Oil)

Microwave the coconut oil until just melted (In my microwave it took about 60 seconds)

Once the oil has cooled slightly, stir in the sugar and applesauce, then the flour, then the cocoa, then the eggs

Stir in the chocolate chips

Pour the batter into your baking pan and bake for 35 minutes

Let cool

Enjoy!

[Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.]



VIDEO TUTORIAL:



How To Measure Cold Coconut Oil

When baking with coconut oil, it’s often required to measure it out while it’s in its solid, rather than liquid and melted, form.  It can be a bit of a pain pressing this solid oil into traditional small measuring cups.  How can you more easily measure cold coconut oil?  This simple hack will be a recurring go-to method in your kitchen from now on!

How To Measure Cold Coconut Oil

  • Fill a glass measuring cup up to the 1 Cup waterline with cool water.
  • Scoop in spoonfuls of coconut oil until the waterline reads 1 Cup + The Amount Of Coconut Oil Your Recipe Calls For.  (If the recipe calls for 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, the waterline will read 1 + 1/4 Cup.)
  • Without pulling out any water with it, scoop the coconut oil back out with a spoon, and move it into your baking or cooking vessel.  If it makes it easier, you can use a slotted spoon to drain the water more efficiently.
  • Voilà! Accuracy every time with minimal mess!

Give this instructional video on my Instagram page a watch to see the process in action! It’s incredibly simple.


Looking for more baking tips?  Check out my Cupcake Dos & Don’ts!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins

If you’ve ever wondered what a chocolate chip cookie in muffin form would taste like (with a few healthy twists!), you’ve come to the right place!  These Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins are perfect when I’m in the mood for baked goods at breakfast or looking for a little something sweet in the afternoon.  They pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea!

Their texture is denser than a muffin (hence the “cookie” hybrid), and almost bready.  They’re not overly sweet, but all of the gooey sweet chocolate chips balance that out!  If you’re not able to enjoy them fresh from the oven, definitely warm them up before serving.  It’s the best way to eat them!

What I love most about some of these “healthier”-for-you ingredients is the taste complexity that they bring.  I love the hearty flavor of a whole wheat flour just as I love the intense cocoa taste in dark chocolate.  The shredded coconut doesn’t compromise the texture at all, but adds a nice subtle richness to the flavor!

Servings: 10 Muffins

Ingredients:

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400º

Line your muffin pan with 10 liners

Combine all of the dry ingredients (other than the coconut and chocolate) in a large bowl and whisk together with a spoon

Combine all of the wet ingredients (other than the water) separately in a medium bowl and whisk together with a fork until well blended

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and blend with a spoon until well combined

The batter will be a bit dry, so add in the water here until the batter becomes more viscous

Add in the chocolate chips and shredded coconut and gently mix in

Spoon the batter into the muffin liners to about 2/3 full, which should fill about 10 liners

Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top of each muffin

Bake on a middle rack of the oven for approximately 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean / (15 can work as well if you prefer browner/more overcooked edges)

Dig in while warm and fresh from the oven (after cooling a few minutes for safety), or let cool completely before storing in a airtight container in the refrigerator

For the best consistency and experience, rewarm them after taking them out of the refrigerator later on in the microwave for about 30 seconds

Enjoy!

Ingredient recommendations linked!


Want more chocolate chips for breakfast?  Try a loaf of Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread!

Coconut Lime Ice Pops

VEGAN / DAIRY-FREE + ONLY 6 INGREDIENTS!

On hot summer days, nothing hits the spot like a delicious lineup of icy drinks and snacks to keep yourself cool.  These refreshing and creamy Coconut Lime Ice Pops by my husband are the perfect treat to beat the heat!  The ingredients take only moments to whisk together.

Added bonuses – They’re naturally vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free if those are dietary concerns in your home.

You can also use whatever type of ice pop molds you have on hand!

(These ice pops are not overly sweet as a personal preference, but could be very easily adjusted to have more sweetness if desired!)

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

  • 13.5 oz Coconut Milk
  • 1/3 Cup Shredded Coconut
  • 1/2 Cup Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice (approx. 4 medium limes)
  • Zest of 2 Limes
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp Agave Syrup
  • 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions: 

Whisk all of the ingredients together and pour the mixture into ice pop molds

(Whisk between each mold pour to prevent settling)

Freeze the pops until solid (about 8 hours)

Enjoy!

Ingredient recommendations linked!


Want more lime desserts? Try my Lime Cupcakes + Vanilla Lime Frosting!

Looking for more easy frozen snacks? Check out The Easiest Chocolate Chip Nicecream!

Manuka Sunbutter Ice Cream

This Manuka Sunbutter Ice Cream has only 5 ingredients, is dairy free, and doesn’t require an ice cream maker! If you’ve ever been a fan of the peanut butter and honey combo, this one is for you!

Ingredients:

27 Fluid Ounces Unsweetened Coconut Milk

2/3 Cup Sunbutter

1/2 Cup Manuka Honey (I used Taylor Pass Honey Co)

3 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Directions:

Place an empty freezer-safe pan into the freezer to chill for a couple of hours before preparation

Add all of the ingredients, starting with the coconut milk, into a large food processor

Blend on a low setting for about 3 minutes

Pour the mixture into the chilled pan and return it uncovered to the freezer for 45 min

Once the edges begin to freeze, remove it from the freezer and whisk until smooth

Return it to the freezer for 50 min, remove, and whisk again

Return it to the freezer for another 50 min, remove, and beat with a hand mixer on a low-medium setting

Return it to the freezer for a final 50 min, remove, and beat again with the hand mixer

It can be immediately served as soft serve, or be left sealed to harden further in the freezer to reach a firmer texture if desired

Serve as is, with drizzles of Sunbutter and Manuka, or with your favorite toppings

Enjoy!