Is it possible to make food that satisfies both a primal and a vegan diet? Yup. Coconut macaroons and asparagus tart are a great place to start, but, if those don’t tickle your fancy, I put some blondie bars together.
I went over to Primal Paul’s place last night (I’ve decided to name him, since repeatedly using my-now-former-roommate-and-current-friend-who-eats-a-primal-diet is starting to get awkward), and, since he was grilling meat, I ate dinner at home and then brought over dessert.
Primal and Vegan Blondie Spice Bars
(gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, sugar-free)
Please note that I even got out a real camera and tried my hand at food styling for this picture…Food styling which would have been more successful if I’d remembered to move the tube wall spackle out of the background. Baby steps.
These blondies are basic as-is, so I leave it up to you to add chocolate/dried fruit/healthy (or unhealthy) frosting. Feel free to jazz them up!
- 1/2 C coconut flour and almond flour (in combination/ratio of your choice)
- 3/4t baking powder
- Spices: 1/2t cinnamon, 1/2t ground ginger, 1/4t nutmeg, etc.
- 4T flax seed, ground
- 1/2 C apple sauce
- 1/4 C (or more, for a wet but not runny final consistency) sugar-free soda (I had some Stevia-based rootbeer in the fridge–use what you have, you really can’t taste it)
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan. Blend your applesauce and ground flax seed and let sit while you mix the dry ingredients together. Add in the flax/apple mix, stir lightly, then add your soda. Spread into your pan, and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool, then slice into bars and enjoy.
What a great simple recipe. So I read your response about my question to what primal is, that is so interesting that you eat so differently. My body could never be happy eating so much meat, I feel so bad for your friends body, doesn’t he know that grain is the staff of life? I am curious to know how long he has sustained this diet. I know many people that have done Atkins, and an equal amount who have gone off it
.
He’s been experimenting with the diet for a year and a half and has been really strict with it for a little over 6 months. While I clearly could never follow that diet–it does seem to work for him. He has an incredibly active lifestyle (mows lawns for a living and works frequent 10+hour days doing this in the summer plus weight-lifts regularly) and has plenty of energy for it all, and he has lost a healthy 50lbs over the past year. He says he feels great, so while I do have my concerns, I try to keep them to myself–since I realize diet, lifestyle and what works and doesn’t is a hugely personal thing.
Holy cow I have to make these!! No grains and a buttload of coconut flour=happy Alexandra tastebuds and tummy
Let me know if you do! They are definitely a healthy and happy treat.
Great idea!! I have a friend who follows a similar eating style and it was tricky to try to find a recipe that works for both!
Primal Paul sounds like the beginning of a really trashy novel. My mind is in the gutter. Clearly.
Love the recipe! Will have to try it whenever I finally have some of that gluten-free stuff on hand!
Ahahaha, now I’m trying to picture him on the cover of a romance novel…and am cracking up. And I had to get the coconut flour off of amazon, because Whole Foods here only sells some weird brand that kinda made me want to vomit. Appetizing, right? It was a big step to get back on the coconut flour wagon.
I haven’t had coconut flour yet. Good to know about the WF version. That’d probably be my go-to place to get it.
They may carry more than one brand now–if you do check, just don’t buy the Let’s Do…Organic brand stuff.
I like the distinction of Primal and Vegan. Good way to phrase it, Allie!
I can’t see what was awkward about his old “name”…
These look great and as well as being gluten-free they’ve got to be good for about every diet there is, what a result!
Cool recipe! I love how you “cook for the enemy”
Hope you’re loving your new house so far!
Thanks! And yesss, I couldn’t be happier! I’ll hopefully have my kitchen done after this weekend so I can make a lovely photo-spam post
Oh my goodness, not only do these look fabulous, but I have all the ingredients! I will definitely be making these sometime soon
Let me know if you do!
mmm these sound delicious! i love baking vegan!
Primal Paul – awesome!
and I LOVE the spackle tube in the photo! these look and sound SO good!
Firstly I love these “Cooking for The Enemy” posts! I am travelling next week and both coconut & almond flour are on my “to buy list”….definitely know what the first thing I will be making with them is!
Lovely styling! I used to have the corner of my stove in every picture when I started
And thanks for naming the enemy!
These sound tasty though I’ve never used coconut flour before.