Carl Cooks: Breakfast Bars - High In Protein & Deliciousness
The recipe comes from Chef Jenny Brewer from whom I took the Natural Foods Chef Training at New Leaf Market.
I posted about the entire healthy breakfast class she taught when we originally made this recipe. I had a great time. If you love to cook and live in the South Bay you should take one of her classes too.
Here's a breakfast idea of champions and a great way to start your day. If you crave a sweet treat in the a.m. try making it one of these healthy alternatives instead of a doughnut or pastry. Hemp seeds contain all of the essential amino acids and fatty acids to maintain healthy human life. Flax seeds are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and add a earthy nutty flavor. All you need to make your own batch is a bunch of dry and wet ingredients.
WHAT YOU NEED:
The Dry Stuff:
Rolled Oats or Kamut Flakes - 3 cups
Dried Cherries, Cranberries, Raisins or other fruit - 1 cup
Ground Flax Seeds - 1/2 cup
Slivered Almonds - 1 cup
Hemp Seeds - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
The Wet Stuff:
Brown Rice Syrup, Honey or Agave Nectar - 1 cup
Almond Butter - 1/2 cup
Vanilla Extract - 2 teaspoons
Zest from one Orange
WHERE TO START:
1. Pour all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl then mix well.
2. Heat all of the wet ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat while stirring them to melt the almond butter and combine well.
3. Very gradually combine the warmed wet ingredients and fold them as evenly as possible into the dry.
Here's a handy kitchen item you should have to make baking easier and clean up always a snap. It's a silicon baking mat and comes in many sizes to fit a variety of pans. Absolutely nothing will stick to the mat so it can even eliminate the need for cooking sprays.
HOW TO FINISH:
4. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees and transfer mixture onto mat covered pan. Note another cool tool on the right side of the photo. It is a scraper which I reach for almost every time I cook. For this recipe it makes forming the one inch thick mold quite easy.
5. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes then let it cool down. Use the scraper for cutting into bar sizes. This stack will disappear quickly. Store in a cool dry place and use wax or parchment paper to keep the stored layers from sticking together.
A close up of the bar reveals all of it's sweet and chewy goodness.
Oh No! There's only one bar left!
Quick! I better grab it for myself!
And off the record you don't have to wait for breakfast to enjoy these bars as they make a fantastic healthy snack just about anytime.
