It can be really difficult to find healthy and nutritious snack options when you are vegan who is following a gluten-free diet as well. Clean eating might be trendy but it has not really been implemented in the real world; there are only those limited snack options which are gluten-free and vegan and even that is pretty expensive. There’s also always the fear of cross-contamination for people who might have gluten or dairy allergy. In that case, it might be for the best if you make your snacks at home. Since you will be making them yourselves, there is no fear of contamination and you can add some really nutritious ingredients to these snacks. Fear not, they are easy recipes that are made easier since we have curated a detailed recipe guide that will help you through all the steps. Be it carrot cake cookie or jerky baked tofu; your hunger pangs would leave pretty fulfilled.

Jerky Baked Tofu

Ingredients:

• 14 ounces extra-firm tofu
• ¼ large onion, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, roughly chopped
• 1 lime, juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 3 tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Preparation:

1. Tofu should be drained and pressed for at least half an hour. To keep it fresh, tofu is packaged in water. After draining the water completely, put the tofu in a sieve. Next, squeeze the water out of the tofu by placing something heavy on top of it. Let it sit for a minimum of half an hour or several hours.
2. Prepare the marinade while the tofu drains. In a blender container, combine the remaining ingredients and process for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on your blender, or until perfectly smooth.
3. After filtering, take the tofu out of the sieve and place it on a chopping board.
4. Slice the tofu into thirds while it is standing on its side. Next, place the largest side down and cut it lengthwise into fourths. Lastly, cut into sixths crosswise. You have a stack of well-cubed tofu now.
5. Place the cubed tofu in a bowl and cover it with the marinade. To coat, gently toss the tofu. Let marinate for up to 8 hours or a minimum of 30 minutes. Simply put the tofu in the marinade and proceed to the next step if you don't have time to let it marinate. The tofu will still taste good even though it won't have time to absorb the marinade completely.
6. The oven should be preheated at 400 °F. Put parchment paper on a baking pan and set it aside.
7. Once marinated, take the tofu out of the marinade, removing most of the liquid. Feel free to save the marinade! You can use this as a sauce for other vegetables, rice, or salad, or it will make a delicious accompaniment to the tofu.
8. Avoid packing the tofu too tightly when placing it on the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until well browned and just beginning to crisp up, turning once or twice. Take it out of the oven and savor it!

Gluten-Free Vegan Carrot Cake Cookies

Ingredients:

• ⅛ cup coconut oil (or feel free to substitute with olive or vegetable oil)
• 3.5 oz carrots, grated (one medium-sized carrot)
• 3 tablespoons desiccated coconut
• ¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice (or a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup ground almonds (almond meal)
• 1 ½ cup organic rolled oats
• ⅔ cup raisins
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
2. Melt the coconut oil in a big bowl over boiling water or in the microwave (omit this step if you're using any other oil).
3. Put all the other ingredients in the same bowl after they have melted.
4. Stir thoroughly, adding a small amount of additional milk if it seems too dry.
5. Give the mixture ten minutes to soak because this will help the grains stick together more easily.
6. Using your hands, form a heaped tablespoon of the mixture into small patties.
7. Spread it out on a baking tray covered with baking paper that has been greased.
8. Continue doing this until all of the batter has been utilized; 16 cookies should be possible.
9. Bake for about fifteen minutes, or until golden brown.
10. Allow to cool fully before putting away in an airtight container, which can be stored for several days.

Lemon Coconut Energy Bites

Ingredients:

• 2 cup raw unsalted cashews
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 ¼ cup pitted Medjool dates (would be about 12 dates)
• 1 tablespoon packed lemon zest (from 3 large lemons)
• 1 lemon freshly juiced
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (as garnish, optional)
• Zest of two lemons (as garnish, optional)

Preparation:

1. Use wax paper or parchment paper to line a small baking sheet or other level surface. Put aside.
2. In a thoroughly dry food processor fitted with the "S" blade, add the cashews and coconut. Blend until crumbly.
3. After adding the dates, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt, pulse once more until the dates are completely combined and the mixture clings to your fingertips when pinched. The mixture should be easy to shape into balls. If not, try adding more dates or keep processing until you can. However, you don't want it to get mushy, so be careful not to overprocess. The texture should still be crumbly.
4. Scoop out 1 tablespoon of the mixture at a time using a tablespoon. Using your hands, roll into balls and place on the baking sheet (or another level surface) lined with parchment.
5. You can use the lemon zest/coconut coating as a garnish after making all 24 energy bites. To prepare this, put the zest of two large lemons and ½ cup of unsweetened shredded coconut in a shallow, broad bowl.
6. Each ball should be gently rolled in the mixture until completely covered. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange each energy bite on it.
7. The baking sheet should be put in the freezer. Although they can be eaten right away at room temperature, it tastes better when the texture is a little firm.
8. Keep energy bites in a sealed container.