I have to admit most of my favorite made-at-home recipes fall into the cookies/bars category. For those of you who’ve been asking for this one (you know who you are! ;-) ), please forgive me for taking so long to post it! What follows is one of my own recipes that delivers a healthy does of your day-start nutrients in an always convenient “on the go” breakfast bar. But before I lay it out there, here’s a brief note on the “why” I like it…
If you know anything about the way I choose to eat, then you know that my first concern is not counts, but contents. I prefer to eat foods that are highly nutritious and bioavailable to the body for digestion, and that means sticking close to the source. Home cooking is one of the best ways to control your food ingredients. That said, I’ve chosen some whole-food sources to make up these bars. You’ll notice that I don’t use any sugar, but rather dates, oats for complex carbs, plain organic whey (or RAW plant protein if you prefer vegan powders), a small amount of raw almond-butter, and highly nutritious coconut oil for healthy fats, a boost of green tea powder for extra anti-oxidants and energy, and no added sodium. Additionally, this recipe calls for traditional baking, but when choosing to opt for a more raw/vegan approach (which is even more nutritious!), you can easily exchange the egg whites for an extra Tbsp or two of coconut oil, and freeze or refrigerate instead of baking to prevent nutrient reduction that results from the baking heat!
INGREDIENTS: 3 cups organic rolled oats (1.5 c ground to flour, 1.5 c whole oats), 1.25 cups clean whey protein or RAW plant protein*, 1/4 cup green tea powder (optional), 1/2 cup raw stevia powder, 2 cups pitted dates (about 18 dates), 1/2 cup coconut oil (**update**- you may wish to add more, up to 3/4 cup total if you feel your batter ends up a bit dry), 3 Tbsp raw almond butter, 3 egg whites. *For protein powder, I like Tera’s Whey plain or bourbon vanilla. They use organic unadulterated whey from grass-fed cows. Bob’s Red Mill all-natural is a slightly cheaper alternative that is plain and void of artificial additives. If you are seeking vegan options, I like Garden of Life’s RAW vanilla.
DIRECTIONS: If you are baking, preheat the oven to 350 F
Grind down 1.5 cups oats to a flour consistency (or use plain oat flour), and add together in a bowl oat flour, oats, protein powder, green tea powder, and stevia powder. Set aside.
Combine together in a food processor: dates, coconut oil, almond butter, and egg whites. Blend together to a paste (pictured)
mmmm… could seriously stop here… so good!!!
Using rubber scraper, scoop out mixture and combine with the dry ingredients:
You should end up with something like the above: the consistency should be thick and dense, not too sticky, but not super dry either. If I feel it is too sticky, I will add little bits of protein powder to achieve what I need.
Next, prepare a 9×13 (I mist it with coconut oil to grease). Press the mixture evenly into the pan. I like to sprinkle cinnamon and stevia powder on top as well. IMPORTANT!- cut into 16 equal squares (oops…I did 12 in the photo. Should be 16 for the proper serving amounts and nutrient info listed below.) Yes, I cut them before baking. Pop into your preheated oven and bake for 12-25min. (timing varies based on your preference & oven)
The results should be something fabulous you can pack up for your out-the-door breakfast needs. Nothing like both a happy tummy and a mind at ease! Healthy breakfast done and served… (see below for approximate nutrition breakdown- virtually the same whether you use whey or vegan protein)
Servings: 16 Serving Size: 1 bar
Calories 228; Fat 8g; Carbs 30g; Protein 10g; Sugars 1g; Sodium 28g; Fiber 5g
These bars were wonderful. They were easy to bake and were very tasty, they stayed fresh for many days. Thanks for the great idea!