Power Breakfast Bars

Hey there, friends! Before I get to this wholesome recipe I made over the weekend, I just wanted to make sure that those of you who are viewing this in Google Reader come over and check out the new design of Sound Eats! I’ve been craving a clean, simple, bright and white look over here, and I finally found some time to make it happen. I’m pretty happy with it! I also made a couple updates to the About page, so check that out, too.

Now for a little back story on today’s recipe. As it goes with most of us, our lives have been extremely busy lately. My husband leaves for work early in the morning, and I often encourage him (or flat out do it for him) to prep his breakfast and lunch ahead of time. Unfortunately, sometimes time gets in the way, which has led my husband’s latest habit of stopping at a gas station to pick up Pop Tarts for breakfast when he’s short on time.

I know, Pop Tarts. Forget about nutrition for a second, they flat out taste like cardboard!

This is all how today’s Power Breakfast Bars came to be. They’re designed to be a meal in a bar, something that you can eat alone or grab with a glass of milk, an iced coffee and a piece of fruit (if you need it).

I used a lot of "health nut" ingredients, so I’ll give a brief explanation as to why I used them as I go along.

Flax Egg: I used one flax egg, which is one tablespoon of ground flax with three tablespoons water.

• Flax seed is associated with lowering cholesterol, including LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides.

Brown Rice Syrup:

• Like many natural sugars, brown rice syrup has a lower glycemic index. (Still, sugar is sugar, so use in moderation!)

Almond Butter: (I used Trader Joe’s Raw Crunchy Unsalted Almond Butter)

• Heart healthy with good amounts of protein, calcium, fiber, magnesium, folic acid, potassium and Vitamin E.

 

Wet ingredients:

Not an ingredient, but word to the wise: if you’re cutting something sticky, like dried fruit, spray the knife with PAM first and the dried fruit won’t stick to and gum up your knife.

Dried Fruit:

• Dried Apricots (unsweetened): Rich in beta carotene (actually much more so than fresh apricots or apricot juice, since the nutrients are concentrated in the dried fruit)

 

• Goji Berries (unsweetened): antioxidant powerhouse! Antioxidants are thought to prevent cancer and other diseases, like heart disease.

 

• Dried Apple (unsweetened): high in fiber and a moderate source of iron.

Raw Pumpkin Seeds:

• Believed to have anti-inflammatory benefits for arthritis.

 

Chia Seeds:

• High in Omega 3s and Omega 6s, making it a great source of healthy, essential fatty acids. Chia seeds are also thought to slow down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrate calories into simple sugars.

 

Hempseeds:

• Contains essential fatty acids, and are a high protein seed (around 11 grams of protein per serving of 3 Tablespoons).

 

Brown Rice Protein Powder:

• I love this brand because per tablespoon serving, there is only 57 calories, 1 gram of sugar and 12 grams of protein. Tasty way to bulk up protein and create a more well-rounded meal!

 

All of this mix-ins:

 

The dry ingredients:

• Oats: Lower cholesterol, reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, and stabilizes blood sugar.
• Whole Wheat Flour: As a whole grain, Type 2 Diabetes risk is lowered, as well as the risk for metabolic syndromes.
• Baking Powder: Not sure if there are any real health benefits, but baking powder is a necessary leavening agent to get the right texture in the bars.

 

Post-baking!

Voila! So delicious and wholesome.

I cut divided the recipe into nine squares, and have included the nutrition information accordingly:

 

These are amazing! I’m so glad Ross and I now have a quick breakfast that we can grab and we go, go, go with our busy schedules. Please let me know if you try these yourself!

Power Breakfast Bars:

• 1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flax + 3 Tbsp water)
• 1/3 cup brown rice syrup
• 1/3 cup raw almond butter (*can use a seed butter if you have nut allergies)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp ground flax
• 1 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 Tbsp hemp seeds
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 1/4 cup goji berries
• 1/4 cup dried apple pieces
• 1/4 cup brown rice protein powder
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 cups oats
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder

Combine the wet ingredients. Mix in the dry ingredients. Grease a 8×8 square pan and smooth the bar mixture evenly in it. Bake in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 25 minutes. Please enjoy!