Grain-Free Breakfast Bars – Recipe!

I’m not one to shy away from grains, but sometimes it’s nice to start your day with something that’s hardy, and packed with protein, besides eggs.  Nuts are a go-to in my pantry, but eating nuts for breakfast just seems silly.  I often top breakfast items with nuts; like oatmeal, muffins and even yogurt, but this time I wanted to create something to enjoy that’s a grab and go, something that’s chock full of nuts and seeds to enjoy in the morning.

There’s only a handful of breakfast bars that I know of that you can buy at the grocery store, and most of them are loaded with sugar.  If I’m going to indulge with a sweet treat for breakfast, I’m certainly not going there.  By creating a more healthful breakfast bar that’s sweetened with dates, and drop or two of maple syrup makes much better sense to me, and something that I won’t feel guilty about eating later.  Breakfast to me should be a healthier food choice because it often dictates how I’m going to eat for the rest of the day.

Nuts and seeds are the base of these bars and dates, maple syrup and an egg white are the glue that holds them together.  They’re the tastiest crunchy bars to enjoy with a cup of coffee, or smoothie in the morning, and you can break them apart and sprinkle them over yogurt, or oatmeal if that’s the direction you’d like to take.  They pack up well for hiking trips or any outdoor day-trips you are making these days, because they won’t get soft in a baggy, or container.  I also eat them as a snack around 3:00 o’clock when hunger usually starts to kick-in.

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw slivered almonds

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/3 cup raw pepitas

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

2 tablespoon golden flax seeds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

8 pitted dates

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 large egg white

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

(Makes 12 Bars)

To Prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line 8-inch square pan with foil, edges hanging over sides.  Spray with cooking spray.
2. On a sheet pan, add all nuts and seeds.  Toast in the oven for 12-15 minutes until golden pale brown.  Remove and let cool.
3. In a food process or blender, puree dates, maple syrup, egg white and 2 tablespoon warm water.  Pour into a large bowl.
4. Add cooled nut mixture, salt and coconut, stir to combine.  Press into prepared pan.  Bake for 20 minutes, remove and let cool 15 minutes.
5. Lift bars out of pan by foil edges.  Remove foil and slice into 12 bars.  Place on sheet pan to bake again, until deep golden brown for 10-12 minutes.  Remove and let cool.  Enjoy!