Healthy Granola Bars

 

Author: The Blonde Buckeye

Ingredients :

• 2 cup Raw Almonds
• 3 cups Rolled Oats
• 2 cups Packed Dates
• ⅓ cup Honey
•  2/3 cup Creamy Almond Butter
• Sea Salt (to taste)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet add the almonds and the oats, and spread them out evenly. Bake them for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and toasted.
2. While the almonds and oats are toasting, place the dates into the bowl of a food processor. Process dates for about 1 minutes or so, until the dates form a ‘dough’ (they basically roll into one giant ball).
3. Combine almonds, oats and dates into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
4. Add honey and almond butter into a microwave-safe bowl and mix well. Microwave at about 75% power for 30 seconds at a time, mixing in between segments. Continue heating until mixture is smooth and pourable consistency.
5. Pour honey/ almond butter mixture over oat mixture. Stir up mixture, being sure to break up dates as much as possible.
6. Little coat a 9 x 13" dish with coconut oil  (and/ or line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, letting a few inches hang over each side).
7. Transfer mixture to prepared dish and press down firmly, trying to make the top as flat as possible, and releasing any holes/ air pockets (a firm, large metal spatula works well). Sprinkle the top with a little more sea salt, if desired.
8. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, up to overnight. Either cut into 10 even-sized bars inside the pan, or remove it and cut them on a cutting board.

Notes

* Store bars in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the refrigerator, for about a week.

Zucchini Oatmeal Bread

This is good recipe for morning ... Not too sweet and pretty dense. 

Adapted from: http://www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com/zucchini-oatmeal-bread/

Ingredients

• ¾ cup boiling water
• 1 cup pitted and quartered Medjool dates
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour, preferably white whole- wheat
• 1 1/2 cups oat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 pound zucchini, shredded (about 3 ½ cups)
• ¾ cup rolled oats
• 1 cup whole pecans
• 1 cup raisins (optional) - I opted for none

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 2 1.5-quart loaf pans with cooking spray.
2. Pour boiling water over the dates and let sit until softened, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Transfer dates and their soaking liquid to a food processor and process until smooth. Add eggs, oil, honey and vanilla and process until smooth. Pour date mixture into a large bowl. Stir in zucchini. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Add the oats and raisins and stir until just combined. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans.
5. Bake until golden brown, puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Allow loaves to cool in their pans at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Notes

Approx :3 grams fiber. 4 grams protein.  1 gram saturated fat.

Dates soaking...,

Fresh milled flours....

Made some muffins too cause the recipe makes 2 loafs, but I did one loaf and 12 muffins.