Gluten-Free Vegan Bars with Teff and Chocolate
It’s like a snickers and a crunch bar had a much healthier vegan baby- gluten-free vegan bars made from whole grain teff, teff flour, peanuts and peanut butter, banana, maple syrup and chocolate! This recipe uses no refined sugar, is totally vegan, and the majority of the bar is made with whole grain teff. It’s crumbly and crunchy with a delicious nutty flavor, notes of banana, and delicious chocolate to top it all off. Teff-inately a recipe you’ll be making again and again!
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What is Teff?
Teff is the smallest of all the grains we eat. It’s most commonly eaten in Ethiopia, where their fermented bread injera is made with teff flour. In fact, 90% of the world’s teff is still grown in Ethiopia. It comes from a genus of grasses called Eragrostis, or “love grass”. Teff is a great source of protein and fiber, and also contains a healthy does of manganese, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and more. It’s also a gluten-free grain! Teff is also particularly good at carbon fixation in low-water environments, which is great for the planet!
Teff has that great whole grain nutty flavor, and is great in a porridge. To make teff porridge, use 4 cups of water to one cup of teff- but if you want something where the individual grains stand on their own instead of become porridge-like, reduce the water to 1 1/2-2 cups. If you’re looking for a great savory recipe using teff, try out vegan teff burgers!
The Work from Home Blues
It’s about 2 or 3 in the afternoon, and you’re starting to drag. As someone who works from home, I know the temptation at this point to call it and just go watch TV or take a nap. Especially if you’re like me and don’t actually have a boss or anyone to report to. But there are those days when you really need to get things done, and giving in to the afternoon slump is just not an option. So for the days I really need to stick it out, I have a strategy- I bribe myself with treats! Sometimes it’s cookies, sometimes granola bars. Often it’s a homemade, sugary coffee drink. These teff bars kept me working through many afternoons, and had the added benefit of being a lot healthier for me than my other work-bribes. Teff has a lot of vitamins and minerals, after all!
Craving Chocolate? Try one of these Chocolatey Recipes!
- Chocolate Beet Muffins (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free)
- Vegan Kumquat Cake with Chocolate Ganache
- Classic Vegan Chocolate Ganache Truffles
- Chocolate Wedding Cake: Vegan Chocolate Cake with Dairy Free Ganache
- Nut-Free Sunflower Seed Butter Vegan Chocolate Cups
- Savory Chocolate Pasta with Hazelnut Chili Cream Sauce
- Nut-Free Sunflower Seed Butter Vegan Chocolate Cups
Making Gluten-Free Vegan Bars from Teff
When I first decided to try out making my own vegan teff bars, I was pleased to discover I could do it from the raw, un-hydrated seeds. That sure saves some time! I did gently “pop” by teff in a skillet first, to bring a lovely toasted, nutty flavor to the teff. Once that’s done, you can just mix all the ingredients in together- popped teff, teff flour, chia seeds, mashed or pureed bananas, maple syrup, coconut oil, and peanut butter, along with some chocolate chips and peanuts from some variation. Then it’s into the oven to bake (make sure you line your pan with parchment paper so you can easily get your bars out) and out again. Pour a layer of melted chocolate over the top, and use a large knife or bench scraper to score the bars before the chocolate dries. These are best stored in the fridge, but don’t worry, they won’t be taking up fridge space long!
Gluten-Free Vegan Bars with Teff and Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole grain teff
- 1 cup teff flour
- 2 tbsp. chia seeds
- 1 ripe or over-ripe banana
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ½ cup peanuts
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 3 oz. chocolate (or more chocolate chips) for coating
- Sprinkle of sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper so it covers the bottom and sides and set aside.
- Place the whole grain teff in a large skillet, and turn the heat to medium high. Stirring occasionally, wait until you hear the teff start to pop. Once the teff is popping, leave on the heat for 2 minutes before removing and placing in a large mixing bowl. Add the teff flour and chia seeds to the mixing bowl, stir, and set aside.
- In a second bowl, mash or blend your banana until smooth. Add the peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil, and mix well. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry into dough, then add the peanuts and chocolate and fold to combine. Place the dough in your prepared baking sheet, and use a spatula or bottom of a measuring cup push the dough out to create an even layer in your dish. Bake for around 20 minutes.
- Once your teff bars are almost done, melt your chocolate. When the teff bars come out of the oven, pour the chocolate over the surface of the baked bars, smoothing it out if needed. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Leaving it in the dish, use a knife or a bench scraper to cut your teff bars (I cut 5 rows and 3 columns), and place in the fridge to set.
- Once the bars are cool and the chocolate hardened, remove from the baking dish and paper and break into the pre-scored bars. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
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