Breakfast Bars (1st Attempt)

9:25 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

I have a lot of fun in the kitchen making things up. There are tons of perfectly good breakfast bar recipes out there, I know I've eaten them! Often, I have every intention of following the recipe but then I just get into the groove and go a little cooking crazy. It's like a game, inventing things, hoping I come up with something fantastic! I much prefer having a slight (relatively good) idea of what I'm trying to make and then let the spirit move me. I got super inspired after Thanksgiving to get this household's eating habits under some sort of control. (If I make my own cookies that's better than certain people eating Snickers or Oreos at night, right?) Truth is, it is. You can make a healthy cookie. A nice, sweet treat, that tastes good and packs a nutritional punch. (Look for dark cocoa cherry chip cookies coming soon!) We don't need all the junk that makes sure 'good-for-you' granola bars and protein bars stay 'fresh' on the shelves of the grocery store. Preservatives don't work the same for our bodies as they do for packaged foods. Nope. But, whipping up a super food bar can make you feel and look fresh as the ingredients you use.

Here's my first version with notes:

In a big bowl combine...

1 cup non-fat greek yogurt
1/4 cup pumpkin
4 scoops hemp protein powder
1 TBSP cocoa powder
1 TBSP sunflower seeds
1 TBSP Chia seeds
1 TBSP Flax seeds
1/4 c honey
3 egg whites
1/2 c Oats (If you think you need more go for it)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp apple pie spice (or something like it)

Mix it all up and press it into a baking dish. I used a casserole dish about 4x9. Cook for about 20 minutes at 400 or until the edges pull away and slightly brown. I sliced the final product into 5 good sized bars

I think these turned out pretty well. Not too sweet. Crunchy, with a good consistency. If A. was cooking he'd add another 1/4 cup of honey and some sugar. "No sugar in this kitchen!" If you want sweeter bars add some almond butter or a natural sugar substitute. I ate one serving this morning for breakfast with an apple and felt great. Energized and full until my next feeding:)

You can play with this recipe too! Add raisins, nuts, almond butter...have fun! If it doesn't turn out well...give it me, I'll eat it:)