Vegan Super Chocolate Chip Brownies (+GF)

Vegan Lifestyle - Kristen Emily

Vegan desserts

Chocolate Chip Brownies...

Welcome back beautiful people!

I remember brownies being the family "go-to dessert" for events and holidays (especially 4th of July) and I grew up on them more than any other dessert. About 4 years ago I started to become a vegan, brownies were essentially ruled out. A few years ago I started to make "vegan" dishes, but they always turned out, not just different, but fundamentally strange. After some pretty major failed attempts, I gave up on trying to find vegan substitutions for desserts and other non-vegan meals. 

I'm not sure what sparked this, but recently I decided to try my luck at baking and cooking again. I've spent the last three years eating very simple, which I like and I don't want to change. But I have learned two things 1) rice, beans and veggies (although still my go-to meal) can get old after a while and 2) you can still eat simple and clean when cooking or baking. 

So, now begins a new era of me trying to find easy ways to make eating vegan taste good while remaining clean, fresh, and simple and I want to share with you all! Hope you enjoy this dessert!

I tried a few different recipes before I found the one that actually reminded me of brownies (not a vegan wannabe), but I think these ones are by far the best out of all of them! I modified this recipe from one that a friend sent me a while back, but I couldn't find the link (I saved the recipe in my notes), but I know there are A LOT of recipes out there! I hope you like this recipe and play with it and modify as you please! :) 

Recipe:

Ingredients (in order of use):

- ¼ cup unsalted almond butter

- ½ cup coconut sugar

- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup

- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

- ¼ teaspoon salt

- 2 flax eggs

- 1/4 cup gluten free all-purpose flour

- 3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips (I threw in a little more than this the second time around. Depends on how chocolatey you want them.)

How To Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with canola oil. Set aside.

2. Make flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax + 6 tablespoons warm water, mix together, set for 5 mins).

3. In a medium bowl, mix together almond butter, coconut sugar, maple syrup and melted coconut oil. Mix until smooth and resembles caramel.

4. Add cocoa powder in ¼ cup increments, mixing until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in vanilla and salt.

5. Add flax eggs in. Add the GF flour in increments. Mix until smooth.

6. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour batter into pan and smooth batter into an even layer.

7. Bake for 25-30 mins. I baked them for about 25 minutes, but I like them soft and gooey ;) Cool for 1 hour, or until completely cool. Slice into 12-16 brownies (depending how big you want them). Enjoy!

Wandering Around: Beautiful Hikes Pt. 2

Wandering Around

Beautiful Hikes pt.2

Utah...

Welcome back beautiful people!

This is the second post for "Wandering Around"! (check out the first one here!) I hope this is encouraging more people to go see beautiful places and go on more adventures. I'm highlighting 4 more hikes that I enjoyed this summer: Guardsman Pass, Cecret Lake, Mount Olympus, and Donut Falls. Enjoy a few stories of my experiences as well ;)

"I want to see beautiful places, His creation, the world He gave us. You know, He didn't have to make it this beautiful, but He did. Can we go wander around, go on adventures, just because?"

― Kristen Law

Sounds cheesy, I know. Pretty sure I said that at 3am when FaceTiming my best friend. I was most likely delirious and sleep deprived, but I think it accurately describes how I feel...

Cecret Lake

If you enjoy relaxing hikes where you can chat with your family/friends and stop and take lots of pictures, this is for you. All the way up, you will find plenty of opportunities to stop and take a “picture break”. This hike is fairly easy and is only about 1.7 miles. It’s heavily trafficked and parking is limited at the actual trailhead. We had to park at a lower parking lot where they were taking people up to the trailhead every 20 minutes by shuttle. However, there is a trail that goes from that parking lot to the trailhead, so if you want to make the hike a little longer (I’m guessing a mile or so longer) I recommend taking the extra trail instead of the shuttle. The lake is very beautiful and I recommend hiking around it so you can get a view from multiple angles!

Mount Olympus

I will advise you, do not attempt this hike if you are not ready to let your friends see you cry. But really, this hike is pretty brutal. Rated as “hard” (a little bit of an understatement) and round trip is 6.6 miles. It’s an uphill battle from the start of the trailhead all the way up to the top of the mountain. When I mean uphill, I mean like some serious incline - I’m talking 4,000 feet elevation gain in 3.3 miles. Good luck bro.

I think the best way to explain the hike is to tell you my experience, so here you go...

The trail is not shaded at all, so since it was in the summer, we started the hike at 4:30 in the A.M. I think being a little delirious from the early wake-up call actually helped the hike seem a little easier. Then again maybe not, but we had a grand ol’ time walking up the mountain talking about life and singing random songs. I did fall...twice, but if you can’t relate to any klutzy-people probs, then you’ll probably be fine. After the hardest climb of your life, comes the easy part - the climb to the top. It's a little bit of moderate bouldering which was a great break from the uphill hiking. This led us to the very top where we watched the sunrise (thanks to the early start) and it was absolutely breathtaking! Me and one of my friends got to the top in 2 hours, 45 minutes and the rest of our group filtered in within the next hour. It was nice relaxing at the top for almost two hours and the view was totally worth it.

*Pro tip: don’t get lost with all of the sub trails. I can’t tell you how many times we did that going up and going down. Sometimes they lead back to the main trial and sometimes they don’t so just be careful.*

Donut Falls

There are always people on this trail, especially on holidays and weekends. However, it’s a “must hike” trail if you’re ever in Utah, so I recommend it. This hike is an easy 3.7 mile hike up in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Perfect for beginners, families, and large groups. Honestly, the hike is beautiful, but the real fun starts when you get there. I recommend going inside the cave with the falls to get some epic pictures. Even more fun/adventurous is climbing up the side of the falls and going past it to hike further in a really pretty stream (more of a challenge, but worth it). When we hiked past the falls we had some trouble. Going up wasn’t bad, but wrong shoes for the occasion caused a few slips on the way down. As a result of both my clumsiness and the obvious risk/challenge factor, there were a few minor injuries...

*Pro tip: The water is always freezing no matter what time of year it is. So just go in the cave any way… once your feet go numb it’s not that bad.*

Guardsman Pass

The actual hike to the view of the lake is a moderate 1 mile hike, but we just did the 0.5 mile hike to the lake. Honestly, it’s the cutest little spot. So many people were there just chillin on floaties, playing indie music, jumping off rope swings into the lake, and just relaxing on the beach. T'was a great day. But everyone there was super friendly, I chatted with a few complete strangers about life for a while... that was cool.

We ended up wandering around a little and found some tiny hiking trails around the lake. I think this is a great place for families, but it’s also a chill hang out spot for young adults. Great place to make memories.
*Pro tip: Bring bug spray if you don’t want be eaten alive*

Well folks, that’s all I have for you today. Thanks for reading, have a good day and get outside!

Wandering Around: Beautiful Hikes pt.1

Wandering Around

Beautiful Hikes pt.1

Utah...
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Hello beautiful people!

This is the first of many new posts on this blog! I have been adventuring in some pretty spectacular places around Utah and I wanted to share some pictures and experiences from a few of my hikes with you. So far this summer, I've hiked Angels Landing, Lake Blanche, Stewart Falls, and Heughs Canyon Trail. Enjoy!

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There is something about hiking that makes me so happy! I love being surrounded by God's beautiful creation. Whether it's the exploration or the exercise, I always feel a sense of peace and accomplishment as I take in the fresh air and unreal surroundings. It's almost always hard for me to leave after I get to the destination because I would love more than anything to just stay there in the calm and quiet which gives me one of those few moments in life where I am completely speechless and completely content. I know it sounds cheesy, but it is genuinely 100% true. Being completely immersed in nature inspires me to be more creative. His creation makes me happy. 

Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity...

― John Muir

Heughs Canyon Trail

After realizing that half of the mountains were still covered in snow, we changed our plans and settled for Heughs Canyon Trail (still, a very beautiful find). Utah hiking tip: save higher elevated hikes for July and August. 

This hike was fairly easy with a great setting. It was very quiet and peaceful which is, in my opinion, one of the best parts of hiking! The trail follows a creek all the way to the top, where you reach a waterfall. Let me clarify that when I say "fairly easy", that could be misleading. It might be difficult for some! The incline begins immediately and it never really levels out, and towards the end you reach big rocks that you have to boulder over if you wish to continue. The total hike is about 3.5 miles. We couldn't figure out how to get to the waterfall, but I'm definitely planning on going back to try and reach it! The view at the top is breathtaking and worth the climb.

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Lake Blanche Trail

This was such a beautiful hike. Around every corner I was awestruck at the breathtaking views. I was completely overwhelmed with how beautiful God's creation is while walking along this trail. The trail is difficult, 7 miles total, and strenuously uphill the entire way. It's definitely a work out, but it's worth a little sweat. With the view at the top, along with the visible waterfall and beautiful lake, you've got yourself one amazing reward. About half way down while walking through the supper-photogenic aspen trees, we ran into a moose family! They were very beautiful, but minded their own business just several yards off the trail. 

Technically, I don't think swimming is allowed in this lake. However, there were a few people jumping in to cool off! Also, I highly recommend bringing your camera because there are countless picture opportunities on this trail!

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Stewart Falls Trail

This is a beautiful, leisurely hike to a very photo-worthy waterfall. It's 4.2 miles, rated as easy, and family friendly! At the begging of the hike you're submerged in a beautiful forest, but most of the time the trail overlooks a valley. This hike is located on the scenic Alpine Loop which is a highly recommended drive whether you do this hike or not.

Don't forget those cameras! Because it's easily accessible and not too strenuous, it's a great hike to spend time taking some great pictures.

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Angels Landing

Last stop on Wandering Around: Beautiful Hikes Part 1 is Angel's Landing, located in Zion National Park. If you ever get the chance to visit Zion, I highly recommend this unique hike! It's fairly strenuous during the never ending switchbacks, which is most of the hike. Walter's Wiggles, as they call it, is the last and most steep of the switchbacks and takes you directly to Scout Lookout which offers an unforgettable view with a great place for lunch and maybe some family "look mom I made it" pictures. This is usually where some families might end the hike, mostly because the next portion of the hike is not for the faint-hearted, which is usually where the "look mom, I didn't die" picture is taken. Okay, maybe it's not THAT extreme, but you definitely need to be up for an exciting challenge!

Quick tip: if you're going any time during the summer, please bring more water than you think you'll need!

The last half-mile or so is steep and you should not do this part if you are afraid of heights. On either side of you while climbing there are thousand foot drop offs and you momentarily have to rely on a chain if you don't want to fall off the mountain. This part of the hike is one-way traffic, so if you don't want to share the chain, go very early in the morning to beat the crowd!

On the bright side, as long as you're still staying focussed on the path, the view is absolutely breathtaking. It peaks at 5,785 feet and round trip it's about 5 miles. The red rocks in Zion are incredibly beautiful and the look out from the very top is totally worth the climb. Just take lots of beautiful pictures... and don't fall.

Thanks for taking your time to read about some of my recent adventures! Hope you all have a fun and safe 4th of July, and don't forget to get outdoors!

Love you guys, go make your life spectacular.

Kristen Emily