Creamy Lemon Rosemary Bars!

What even is a vegan dessert? Vegan desserts are desserts that don’t contain any eggs or dairy products such as milk or cream. Although many people still believe making vegan desserts is complicated and expensive, this is not the case.

Different things you can use instead of eggs:

• Bananas
• Applesauce
• Flaxseeds or Chia Seeds (we used Chia Seeds in the last recipe)
• Store-Bought Vegan Egg Replacers
• Aquafaba (the liquid from canned beans)

Link to my other dessert recipe!

All these egg replacements work similarly to eggs in baked goods. Bananas for example add moisture while flaxseeds work well for binding. Much like regular eggs. And they will still make your dish taste scrumptious.

But how is it possible to make a vegan dessert if you cannot use some everyday ingredients? You can “veganize” any dessert you want. In most cases, you can just swap some of the ingredients and use plant-based milk instead of cow’s milk and vegan egg replacements. Baking a vegan cake isn’t that much of a difference. And it’s not more complicated at all. You just have to use some different ingredients.

Food vegans cannot eat:

• Beef, pork, lamb, basically any other red meat
• Chicken, duck, and other poultry
• Fish or shellfish such as crabs, clams, and mussels
• Eggs
• Cheese, butter
• Milk, cream, ice cream, and any other dairy products
• Mayonnaise (because it includes egg yolks)
• Honey

When Vegan you cannot eat any food that comes/made from animals. Studies show that vegans have better heart health and lower odds of having certain diseases. Those who skip meat have less of a chance of becoming obese or getting heart disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Vegans are also less likely to get diabetes and some kinds of cancer, especially cancers of the GI tract and the breast, ovaries, and uterus in women. So there are lots of benefits to eating vegan food or going vegan. Going vegan might even help you live longer, especially if you also cut down on your daily calories. Better weight control may be one reason for all of these health benefits. Vegans have a lower body mass index (BMI) than people who eat animal-based products. Good nutrition is another perk. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts are staples of the vegan diet. These foods are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and compounds that help protect against diseases like diabetes and cancer.

Today we are making Creamy Lemon Rosemary Bars. They are not only vegan but also gluten-free which is good. This recipe will take roughly around an hour and forty-five minutes to two hours. The prep time is around forty-five minutes to an hour. Cook time is around an hour. This wonderful recipe can feed roughly around nine people.

Ingredients you will be using:

Crust ~

• One flax egg (one tablespoon of flaxseed meal + three tablespoons water)
• One cup of gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup of raw unsalted almonds
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened desiccated coconut shreds (or substitute more oats)
• One tablespoon of rosemary (finely chopped)
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
• Eleven Medjool dates pitted and packed (or 3/4 cup packed)
• Four to five tablespoons unrefined organic coconut oil (melted)

Filling ~

• One cup of raw cashews
• One can of full-fat coconut milk to yield 3/4 cup coconut cream
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (we used Two Meyer lemons)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch
• One tablespoon lemon zest (we used One Meyer lemon)
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup (plus more to taste)
• One teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/8–1/4 teaspoon of turmeric (this is optional, it’s just for color)
• Pinch of salt

Toppings (these ingredients are completely optional-no exact measurements for these steps) ~

• Thin slices of lemon
• Rosemary sprigs
• Shredded coconut
• Powdered sugar

How much time this will take:

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Yield: 9 bars

Directions on how to make this dessert:

Step One: Soak the cashews overnight in room temperature water OR add them to a large bowl with boiling water and soak for at least 1 hour (uncovered).

Step Two: Prepare the flax egg by combining the flaxseed meal with water in a small bowl or cup and setting it aside for 15 minutes to thicken.

Step Three: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a square (8×8”) baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.

Step Four: In a food processor, add the rolled oats, almonds, coconut, rosemary, and salt. A process on high until a fine meal is reached.

Step Five: Add in the Medjool dates and process until broken down and uniform. Add in the flax egg and 4 tablespoons of melted coconut oil to start, and process. The mixture should be a bit moist and should be able to form a dough when squeezed between two fingers. If it crumbles or is too dry, add the last tablespoon of coconut oil.

Step Six: Pour the dough into the lined baking dish and spread it out evenly. Press the dough down using your fingers or a spatula until it is packed in and even throughout. Place the crust in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 15 minutes.

Step Seven: Once the cashews have soaked, drain them thoroughly and add them into a high-speed blender along with the remaining ingredients. Blend on high until smooth, stopping to mix if needed.

Step Eight: Adjust seasonings to taste and add in more turmeric if needed (we only used about 1/8 teaspoon).

Step Nine: Once the crust had cooled, pour in the filling and spread it out evenly using a silicone spatula. Tap it on the counter or a flat surface to remove any air bubbles. Place the pan back into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges dry out a bit and the mixture has set and is no longer liquidy.

Step Ten: Remove from the oven and cool for 20 minutes. Transfer the dish to the refrigerator (uncovered) to cool completely, at least 3 hours (the longer the better).

Step Eleven: Remove the pan from the refrigerator and transfer the bars (along with the parchment paper) to a cutting board. Slice into your desired sizes (we cut ours into 9 squares).

Step Twelve: We topped our lemon bars with a thin slice of lemon, a small piece of rosemary, and a sprinkle of coconut, but it is not necessary. If you would like, you can even dust them with powdered sugar.

I hope you enjoy it! Check out my other recipes please: