Coffee Break Cookies (and Bars!)

Wow. I can't believe that there's less than a month left until I get ripped free of my little "safety cocoon" of school and let loose into the working world. Granted, there's a lot of work left to do in these last few weeks - between school, articles for Nutrition in Motion and Total Cleanse, and all 4 of my co-ops, there's hardly any time left to sleep - let alone blog! Having just finished writing presentation notes for one of my co-op boss' presentations (a 3-hour one on healthy eating on a budget, complete with some of my recipes!) I figured I'd take a few minutes to let you in on some of the goodies I whipped up during some of my fits of "I can't sit anymore".

So I guess it's no surprise that the main flavours that came into play over the past few weeks were two of my old "stress relief" foods - coffee and chocolate. Quite possibly the most potent of all my past comfort foods (and chocolate still is in the form of cocoa powder in warm oatmeal!), I knew that almost everyone that would be partaking in either treat would fall just as hard as I did - coffee lovers or not. The espresso hounds were thoroughly sated by the end of their snack break - but the chocolate fiends were just as pleased (especially with the cookies - cocoa, chocolate chips and cacao nibs? Puh-leeeze!).

So, while I'm burning the midnight oil with a cup of green tea, enjoy a couple shots of espresso on me. Trust me... you've earned it.

Coffee Crisp Espresso Bean Bars

Makes 24 bars

¼ cup cream cheese

3 tbsp butter or margarine

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp stevia extract powder

½ cup soy milk
½ cup coffee
1 egg
2 tbsp instant coffee powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup spelt flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 giant Coffee Crisp bar (75 g), chopped
1/2 cup chocolate-covered espresso beans

1. Lightly coat the bottom only of a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and stevia until fluffy.
3. Add milk, coffee, reconstituted egg, coffee powder and vanilla.
4. Add flours, cocoa powder, and baking powder, mixing until just combined.
5. Fold in candy pieces.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes.
7. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 120.6
Total Fat: 5.1 g
Cholesterol: 14.2 mg
Sodium: 30.6 mg
Total Carbs: 21.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.5 g
Protein: 2.7 g

 

Espresso Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Makes 24
1/2 cup soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tbsp Kahlua (optional but AWESOME)
3 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp stevia extract powder
1/2 tbsp vanilla
2/3 cup spelt flour
pinch ground nutmeg
2 tbsp instant espresso powder (or finely crushed dark-roast instant coffee)
1 tbsp cocoa
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup quick cooking oats (not instant)
3/4 cup spelt flakes (or more quick oats)
3/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
1/4 cup cacao nibs

1. In a large bowl, beat "milk", oil, Kahlua (if using), flaxseed, brown sugar, stevia, and vanilla until smooth.
2. Add flour, nutmeg, espresso powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, stirring to just moisten.
3. Fold in oats, spelt flakes and chocolate chips and stir well.
4. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Drop tablespoons of dough 2" apart on baking sheets.
7. Bake 14 minutes, then cool on sheets 15 minutes before moving them to wire racks to cool completely.
8. Store in a loosely covered container.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 116.2

Total Fat: 6.0 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 42.3 mg
Total Carbs: 16.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.5 g
Protein: 2.0 g

What do you do when you're under a lot of stress or deadlines?