If you love caramel, this recipe is definitely for you. One of my favorite afterschool snacks as a kid was apples with caramel dip! This snack was always a super special treat, and I was shocked at how much this healthy vegan date caramel tastes just like it! I have always loved caramel, but it contains such a high refined sugar content, which is why I wanted to create a healthier vegan version! And while this recipe is healthified, you would never guess that this recipe contains no refined sugar! This date caramel pairs perfectly with my Banana Nice Cream, oatmeal, apples, pretzels, and anything else that you can think of!

How to make amazing Date Caramel

Dates are a wonderful fruit that is naturally sweet, rich in flavor, chewy texture, and decadent. They are also filled with nutrients, antioxidants, and tons of other health benefits! Dates grow on date palm trees in tropical regions of the world, and they are almost always sold dried.

While there are multiple different types of dates, this recipe calls for Medjool dates. Medjool dates are one of the larger and more flavorful types of dates that are perfect for eating and baking. Their natural sweetness and soft texture make these dates optimal for this date caramel recipe.

So how do you make date caramel? It is so simple! All you have to do is blend dates, dairy-free milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt together in your food processor until you have reached your desired caramel consistency (stopping and scraping the sides of the food processor as necessary). Feel free to adjust the dairy-free milk amount based on the consistency that you are looking for. If the dates that you are using feel hard, you might want to soak them in boiling water before using them in order to soften them up. This will make it a little easier on your food processor.

If you tried this recipe be sure to leave a comment below, leave a review on my Pinterest, or tag me on Instagram! Happy baking!

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The Best Vegan Date Caramel

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword caramel, dates

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Ingredients

• 2 cups or about 18 pitted Medjool dates they should be very soft
• 1/4 cup dairy free milk I used almond milk
• 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until completely smooth. Add more milk for a thinner caramel (note: if your dates are too hard to blend, soak them in hot water for 5-10 minutes first).
• Enjoy with apples, pretzels, ice cream, or oatmeal and store in the fridge!

The post The Best Vegan Date Caramel appeared first on Splurge with Ella.

My idea for this recipe was inspired by my recipe for these Healthy Banana Oat Cookies. I wanted to utilize a similar ingredient list and create moist, flavorful, and healthy muffins, and I am so excited to share this recipe with all of you.

These Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins make a wonderful morning or midday snack, and you would never guess that they are made with vegan and nutritious ingredients. Just look at these photos of how happy these muffins make my beautiful roommate! Who is my favorite taste tester, and also happens to have her own vegan blog (Hangin’ with Hales) that is a great resource for information about veganism, health, and loving yourself!

And I promise that when you try these amazing Healthy Muffins you will be just as excited as she is! Because how could you not be excited about a decadent muffin that is made with good-for-you ingredients!?

Key Ingredients

Let’s go over the key ingredients in this recipe.

Oat Flour is the base for these muffins. If you have never heard of oat flour before, it is a wonderful gluten-free flour alternative that is perfect for healthy baking. You can make your own oat flour by processing two cups of whole oats in your blender or food processor until you have reached flour consistency.

This recipe calls for three overripe Bananas. Bananas give these muffins their flavor, are a natural source of sweetness, and work as a vegan egg-replacement.

These muffins call for three to four tablespoons of Maple Syrup depending on desired sweetness. I usually only add three tablespoons because the natural sugar from the bananas also adds sweetness. Although, if you prefer a sweeter muffin I would add in four.

Natural Peanut Butter is another key ingredient in this recipe. It works as a healthy fat source to keep these muffins moist. It is important to note that the peanut butter in this recipe is natural. Natural peanut butter has a much different consistency than other brands of peanut butter that contain added sugar and oil. I like to use Natural Chunky Peanut Butter because I like the texture that it gives these muffins. You may substitute other kinds of natural nut or seed butter if you prefer, but it may alter the taste.

Of course, these muffins have the addition of Chocolate Chips! Banana and chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations. Chocolate helps add the perfect amount of decadence to these wholesome muffins, but peanut butter chips would also work well here!

If you’re looking for more ways to use your overripe bananas? Check out these banana recipes Banana Blueberry Muffins, the Best Vegan Banana Bread, Healthy Banana Oat Cookies, Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread, Peanut Butter Swirl Banana Nice Cream, Chocolate Banana Milkshake, and these Blueberry Banana Baked Donuts.

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Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 9

Ingredients

• 2 cups oat flour (made by processing whole oats in a blender until flour consistency is reached)
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 tablespoons maple syrup depending on desired sweetness
• 1/4 cup almond milk or dairy-free milk
• 3 overripe mashed bananas
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter smooth or chunky
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips plus more for topping

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line/grease a muffin tray for 9 muffins.
• Combine the first four dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until evenly combined.
• Add the rest of the ingredients (aside from the chocolate chips) and stir until evenly combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Evenly distribute batter into the prepared muffin tray, filling each muffin cup almost to the top. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the tray and cooling on wire rack. Enjoy!

The post Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins appeared first on Splurge with Ella.

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals, but I usually only have limited time in the morning and need a recipe that is quick and easy. This Baked Oatmeal is the perfect delicious breakfast option when you don’t have a lot of time in the morning. Plus, it is so delicious and filled with healthy and filling ingredients.

Recipe Notes

If you have never tried baked oatmeal before, let me introduce you to this elevated version of regular oatmeal. Baked oatmeal is served warm, has a soft and delicate texture, and is filled with cinnamon and berries. In addition, it only requires 10-12 minutes in the oven and very little prep time, which makes it perfect for a busy morning schedule.

The main ingredients in this recipe include: oats, oat flour, mashed banana, dairy-free milk, maple syrup, and berries of your choice (fresh or frozen)! After a lot of recipe testing, I believe that I have found the perfect combination of ingredients to create a naturally sweetened, healthy, and delicious breakfast. I love using strawberries and blueberries in this recipe, but any berries will work here!

Serving Baked Oatmeal

I like to serve this baked oatmeal fresh from the oven after allowing it to cool for about 5 minutes beforehand, as it is best served warm. It pairs wonderfully with additional fresh fruit, coconut milk yogurt or a drizzle of maple syrup for extra sweetness.

This recipe is extremely versatile and adaptable, so feel free to add any kind of fruit or additional toppings that you enjoy! If you’re looking for more vegan breakfast options, be sure to check out my other breakfast recipes here.

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Berry Baked Oatmeal

Course Breakfast

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups of old fashioned oats
• ¼ cups of course oat flour place 1⁄4 cup of whole oats in a blender until flour consistency is reached
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon more to taste
• ¾ teaspoon of vanilla
• ½ cup of mashed banana or one mashed banana
• 1 cup of almond milk or dairy-free milk of choice
• 3-4 tablespoons of maple syrup depending on desired sweetness
• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or any nut butter or coconut oil
• 2 cups of berries of choice I like to use chopped strawberries and blueberries but any berries including banana slices will work here
• optional: chocolate chips for topping

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8×8 inch pan with coconut oil.
• Combine the first five dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and stir until evenly combined. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until evenly combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, top with optional chocolate chips, and bake for 12-15 minutes until the center is just cooked and no longer looks wet.
• Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

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