We received a request for no-bake cookies with Stevia.  In case you do not know, Stevia is a South American herb that has been used as a sweetener for hundreds of years. The leaves of this small green plant have a delicious and refreshing taste that can be 30 times sweeter than sugar. This is from http://www.stevia.com  Stevia is available in health food stores. We found a few recipes that look good.

Sugar-Free No-Bake Cookies (found online)

¼ cup milk

½ cup Stevia blend

1 ½ tbsp. cocoa

1 ½ tbsp. peanut butter

½ stick of butter

1 ½ cups oats

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine milk, Stevia Blend, cocoa, peanut butter and butter in pan. Stir and bring to a boil on the stove. Let boil for 1 ½ minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and oats. Stir until mixed well. Drop by tsp. or tbsp. onto waxed paper. This makes about 20 tbsp. sized cookies.

Almond Power Bars (another recipe found online)

2 Cups Almonds (raw)

½ cup flax meal (flax seeds ground in a blender or food processor)

½ cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)

½ cup almond butter (roasted is preferred)

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup coconut oil

4 drops Stevia

1 tbsp. agave nectar

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 Cup dagoba chocodrops (optional)

Place almonds, flax meal, shredded coconut, almond butter and salt in food processor. Pulse briefly, about 10 seconds. In a small pan, melt coconut oil over very low heat. Remove coconut oil from stove, stir stevia, agave and vanilla into oil. Add coconut mixture to food processor and pulse until ingredients form a coarse paste. Press mixture into an 8 x 8 glass baking dish. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour until mixture hardens.  In a small saucepan, melt chocodrops over very low heat, stirring continuously. Spread melted chocolate over bars; return to refrigerator for 30 minutes until chocolate hardens. Remove from refrigerator, cut into bars and serve. Makes about 16 bars.

And here is one last recipe that is in the book The Stevia Cookbook by Ray Sahelian and Donna Gates. This book is available at the library.

Carob Almond Butter Crispies

1 cup almond butter

12 drops stevia liquid concentrate

3 heaping tbsp. ground flaxseed

2 tbsp carob powder

2 tbsp. coconut oil or Essential Balance Oil (A blend of five unrefined organic oils, including flaxseed and borage)

1 tbsp. vanilla

½ tsp. sea salt

4 Cups crushed crisped brown rice cereal

1 Cup chopped pecans

Place the almond butter, stevia , flaxseed, carob, oil, vanilla, and salt in a large mixing bowl, and combine thoroughly. Stir in the crisped rice and pecans. Shape the mixture into 2-inch balls and serve.

Let us know what you think of these recipes by posting a comment. And remember, let us be your recipe assistants. Happy cooking!