Barley grass powder… Whether you already know of this incredible powder or not, I ask that before you all dismiss me as having no taste buds and run to wash your mouth clean, give this a read. It may just change the way you view this incredible powder.
Barley grass powder is made from the grassy part of young barley plants, which is unbelievably nutritious. Boasting benefits such as reducing toxins, preventing diabetes, reducing cholesterol, and even preventing some cancers, this glorious grass contains chlorophyll, 5 times the iron of spinach, 11 times the calcium of cow’s milk, and too many B vitamins to mention!
It has long been known to be beneficial for human health. In ancient Rome, gladiators would take it for stamina and strength. Indeed, going back to 7,500 BCE it is mentioned in writing as a cure for itching and ulcerated throats, among other ailments.
Today is it scientifically proven to be absolutely packed with vitamins and minerals. It is still used in natural medicine frequently and has made a name for itself as a nutritional supplement to improve overall health.
However, for some people, the taste is a hurdle which is hard to handle. It is grass after all. It soon becomes very easy to give up the search for barley grass recipes which don’t taste like a field and leave this nutritional powerhouse out of your life. But I have been recipe testing for a while. These 3 recipes sneak in a healthy dose of barley grass powder which will go virtually unnoticed, (apart from the color… all that chlorophyll!)
This first recipe was quick to become a favorite within my entire family who are chocolate obsessed! They are divinely rich, inexplicably moreish, and honestly what beats vegan brownies?
Vegan Avocado Chocolate Brownies
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Serves: 18
Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
2 ⅓ cups unsweetened plant milk
½ cup maple syrup
¾ – 1 1 cup unrefined or coconut sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 – 2 tsp barley grass powder
Optional Extras:
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pecans
- Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius and line a baking dish with baking paper.
- In a blender combine the avocado, maple syrup, milk, and sugar for about half a minute or until you can’t see lumps. Leave aside.
- To a mixing bowl, add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, barley grass powder, and salt and mix until well combined. Add in the wet ingredients along with any add-ins and fold the mixtures together. Pour into the baking dish, sprinkle with extra nuts and bake for about 15-20 minutes.
- Cool completely before digging in!
The second recipe is one that I make as a breakfast. A wonderful excuse to have ice cream first thing in the morning.
Vegan Barley Grass and Peanut Butter Nice Cream
Prep Time: 10 minutes (+freezing)
Total Time: 10 minutes (+freezing)
Serves 1.
Ingredients:
3 frozen bananas, slightly defrosted
1 ½ tbsp pure peanut butter
1 – 1 ½ tsp barley grass powder
Optional Extras:
Handful small peanuts in the mix
Toppings e.g coconut yogurt, granola, frozen berries, cacao nibs.
- Add the frozen bananas to a high powered blender. ( If your blender isn’t high powered, you may need to slice the bananas first.) Blend until they become smooth and creamy. Add the peanut butter and power and blend everything together. Use a lid for this part as the power will drift easily.
Enjoy!
The final recipe is another sweet treat… I’m seeing a pattern here and my sweet tooth becoming glaringly obvious!
Vegan Barley Grass and Peanut Butter Cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Makes 20 – 30 cookies
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup jumbo rolled oats
½ cup flour
½ cup flour or almond meal
1 cup of desiccated coconut
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp barley grass powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup pure smooth peanut butter
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
2 egg alternatives (flax or chia: combine 2 tbsp with 6 tbsp water and leave for 10 minutes)
Dash of vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius and grease or line a tray.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, coconut, baking soda, baking powder, barley grass powder, and cinnamon until well mixed together.
- Separately mix the peanut butter, oil, sugar, maple syrup, “eggs” and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir them gently together to fully combine.
- Use a tablespoon to portion out the cookie dough into spoonfuls and roll each between your hands to form a ball. They don’t spread much so be sure to flatten with a form or your hand once on the tray.
- Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until they start to turn a light golden brown color.
- Cool and store in airtight containers… if they last!
So there you have it. Three recipes which are super easy to whip up, use very basic ingredients and contain this under-appreciated masterpiece of natural food.
I hope that these recipes inspire you to include more of this stunning little plant into your diet. It’s just an added bonus that the kids will love these yummy goodies almost as much as you do! It’s an interesting and rewarding way to get the good stuff in without sacrificing the wonderful tastes of these classics.
So have fun creating these recipes yourself and getting your daily doses of peanut butter, chocolate and greens!
Related: Vegan Spirulina & Raspberry Muffins
No-Bake Vegan Coconut Maca Mounds
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Photo: Aine Barton
