Our mornings are rushed. We are getting children dressed and fed, backpacks filled, and in between demands for milk refills and help finding lost doudous, we are also trying to get ready ourselves and out the door on time. So it’s no wonder we don’t eat our own breakfast 90% of the week, which ends with us picking up something to go (usually a buttery croissant) or forgoing breakfast altogether (which is most common). By 10am our energy levels are low, our stomachs rumbling, and hANGER begins to set in. What we really need is something easy to eat on the go–something we can throw into our bag, and if it’s filling and healthy then boom: added plus. Just last week we discovered the joys of raw bars, and our lives may never be the same.
It’s literally throwing together a bunch of healthy ingredients into a bowl, mixing them up, then freezing for a few hours. That’s it. No baking, no exact measurements, and you can add whatever you fancy. Plus these are gluten-free and vegan, packed full of vitamins and nutrients and our kids think they’re cookies because they’re that good. Win-win.
The Ultimate Raw Bar
What You’ll Need:
-A few cups of oats
-Chopped up walnuts (or any nut of your choice)
-Chia seeds (add as many as you want!)
-Sunflower seeds (we added a handful or two)
-6-10 dates (we used an entire bag of dried pitted dates, around 10)
-2-3 spoonfuls of coconut oil
-Coconut flakes to sprinkle on top
What You’ll Do
-Add everything from the oats to the sunflower seeds into a large mixing bowl, then add coconut oil and use your fingers to mix together (kind of like massaging your ingredients)
-Put dates in a food processor and zap until they get mushy. If you don’t have a food processor, chop the dates into small pieces and use a fork to mash
-Add date mixture to bowl, and mix together. The “batter” should be moist–if it still seems dry, add more dates or more coconut oil.
-Place parchment paper in a baking dish, and spread mixture in dish, making sure it’s spread evenly and flat on top.
-Sprinkle coconut flakes on top of spread “batter” then cover with plastic wrap
-Place in fridge or freezer for at least 2 hours
-When it’s set, use a greased knife to cut into bars–if you want to save individual bars, wrap in parchment paper and place in fridge or freezer.
Here’s to quick, healthy, and super tasty breakfasts! Enjoy!!