Wholesome Breakfast Bars

As seen in my article on @YorkRegion - Renata's Table: Breakfast bars as healthy as they are wholesome

September brings with it the start of a new school year and for many a new daily routine. Quick, easy and nourishing breakfasts are a must. These Wholesome Breakfast Bars are just the thing to grab and go and fill you up with a nutritious start to your day. The healthful ingredients help boost your brain power, keep you energized and full until lunch time. 

Gluten and dairy-free, these flavourful bars are loaded with healthy, high-in-fiber, plant-based protein, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, heart healthy, brain healthy, and vitamin and mineral rich ingredients.  All this in a delicious Wholesome Breakfast Bar. 

Oats are a nutrient dense, gluten free whole grain, high in fiber and higher amounts of protein than other grains and oats are a rich source of manganese and phosphorous and thiamin (VitB1).

Flax Meal – a powerful antioxidant and high in fiber, flax seeds contain Omega 3 fatty acids which promote heart health. Rich in lignans – the fiber content in flax seeds, this benefits digestion and is a plant-based form of estrogen. Flax seeds contribute to lowering cholesterol, keeping arteries healthy, lowering blood pressure and preventing certain cancers.

Hemp Hearts are rich in essential fatty acids, are a high-quality protein source, contain VitB, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc.

Cinnamon and ginger are powerful antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal. Cinnamon can reduce bad cholesterol (LCL) and triglycerides, balances blood sugar and research is being done to show that both cinnamon and ginger support brain health and reduces cognition decline.

Bananas are an antioxidant and a rich source of fiber, VitB6, VitC and potassium.  Bananas are relatively low on the glycemic index based on their ripeness – the sugar content increases as the banana ripens as the starch in the banana turns to natural glucose, fructose and sucrose.  The antioxidant flavonoid catechin is beneficial for heart health.

Apples are a rich source of antioxidants, are low in fat, sodium and cholesterol and are a good source of VitC and fiber. The fiber comes from pectin in the apple, that pectin, a fiber that aids in digestion.  It’s best to eat an apple with its skin but the meat of the apple is filled with good nutrition too. Recent research has shown that components in apples supports and enhances the production of new brain cells, which in turn supports learning, memory and works against cognitive decline.

As always, when you make this recipe, I would love to see your creation so please post a photo of your Wholesome Breakfast Bars goodness and tag my IG account #RenataCollective or leave a comment with your thoughts!

Prep Time: 15 Minutes / Bake Time: 25 minutes / Makes: 8-10 Bars

Ingredients

  • 1½ Cups Quick Oats

  • 1/3 Cup Flax Meal

  • 1/3 Cup Hemp Hearts

  • 1/3 Cup Brown Rice Flour or Gluten Free Flour

  • 1½teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger

  • 1½ teaspoon Baking Powder

  • 1 Banana - Mashed

  • 1 Apple – Grated (Peel too)

  • ½ Cup Coconut Sugar – alternate: brown sugar

  • ¼ Cup Maple Syrup

  • ¼ Cup Oat Milk – alternate: another non-dairy milk of your choice)

  • 1 Egg

  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla

Add-in’s

  • 1/3 Cup All-Natural Peanut Butter

  • 1/3 Cup Chocolate Chips

  • 1/3 Cup Chopped Dates, Dried Cranberries, Craisins, Chopped Dried Apricots or Chopped Dried Figs

  • ¼ Cup Shredded Coconut

  • See Additional Variations below.

How It’s Made

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F.

  • Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with parchment paper, overhanging the ends for ease of lifting out the squares.

  • In a medium sized bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (the oats to the baking powder) together.

  • Add the wet ingredients (the mashed banana to the vanilla) and whisk until just moistened.

  • Add the add-in’s of your choice – the photos show the chopped dates I added.

  • Spread evenly into your prepared pan.

  • Bake for 25 minutes and check for doneness by inserting a sharp knife or toothpick into the middle of the pan. If it comes out clean then it’s done (a few crumbs are ok), if it’s still wet then return the pan to the oven and bake longer checking every 5 minutes.  

  • When done, remove the pan from the oven and let cool. Cut into bars and wrap individually or store them in the fridge in an air tight container.

  • It’s delicious as it is or drizzle some all-natural peanut butter on top before eating.

Enjoy!

Variations

  • Add 2 tablespoons cocoa and 1/3 cup chocolate chips to the batter, dollop all-natural peanut butter onto the top of the batter and swirl with a knife.

  • Add ¼ cup shredded coconut and 1/3 cup fresh or frozen raspberries to the batter.

  • Increase the ginger to 1½ teaspoons and add chopped pear to the batter.

  • Add 1/3 cup almond butter and chopped almonds to the batter, or sprinkle sliced almonds on top of the batter in the pan.

  • Use ½ cup roasted mashed sweet potatoes instead of the banana in the recipe, add 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice instead of the cinnamon and ginger and add ¼ cup pumpkin seeds to the batter.

Breakfast, Baked Goods, Dairy Free, Family-Friendly, Gluten Free, Healthy eating, Snacks, VegetarianRenata Richardsonantioxidant, antiinflammatory, Fiber rich, heart health, brain health, Cognition SupportComment