Power Bars (sugar free, df, V, oil free)

So, I thought I'd start out by talking a little bit about my stomach issues and what's been happening with that. It's not all that exciting, but it will help explain my recent and upcoming recipe posts.

So, last Friday I went to see a special gastroentoligist to see if we could get to the bottom of my problems. The doctor basically "prescribed" me with a very high fiber diet. He said to mostly eat fruits and vegetables and some whole grains. I'm also supposed to eat very little animal protein-like half of my palm's worth. I was very happy about the fact that this doctor was sticking to a very holistic way of trying to fix my problems, rather than just loading me up on meds. He emphasized the importance of trying to let my body get back to 100% on it's own through a healthy, whole diet of mostly plant foods. I could not have been happier to comply with this. The last thing I want is to be loaded up with tons of pills. Granted, if this "high-fiber diet" doesn't work, he said he would consider antibiotics.

I have to admit I was a teensy bit disappointed because I have been eating mostly fruits, veggies, and whole grains for a long time now, however, I am determined to do so even better now. I've also limited my intake of sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup, as they seem to always aggravate my symptoms more. As you'll notice in several of my recipes lately, I've been sticking to date sugar, which is simply dried dates crushed up. I think it tends to do better with my stomach as it is simply a fruit and not so sweet. I've also been trying to sneak in as many fruits and vegetables as I can into baked goods (as you'll see in these Ultimate Granola Bars). I've also become re-hooked on green smoothies. I love intaking a big cupful of wholeness first thing in the morning, and it always makes me feel so good! My mom used to make them for us every morning for breakfast during the school year, but last year when we moved to Cambodia, green smoothies were pretty much non-existent. So, I've loved having them again! I forgot just how great they are and feel.

So, anywho, there you have it. That's my "stomach story" in a nutshell. Along with trying to stick to the doctor's "prescription", I've taken upon myself the challenge of creating easy, fast recipes to have for college. School will start on Sept. 3, so I have a couple of weeks to experiment. And boy do I love challenges!

I know I am going to need a quick, easy-to-hold-while-walking-between-work-and-classes snack to eat during school, and while I was brainstorming, granola bars immediately came to mind. I don't want to buy them at the store (and granted many times I can't because they have soy or coconut or peanuts, etc.), so they were on the top of my list to make.

Well, I set to work yesterday and in no time I had some extremely delicious, granola bars that I like to call Power Bars! They are packed full of nutrients (and fiber!). The bars include powerhouses like chia and flax as well as fruits and veggies like apples, dates, and pumpkin. They have protein from the sunflower seed butter, chia, flax, and nuts. They also are oil-free, which for my stomach is huge (oil/fat really is hard for me to digest)! And, best of all, they are sugar free! They are sweetened simply with fruit, which hey, I can't complain!

I was really happy with how "hefty" these turned out. I really dislike store-bought bars because one bar is tiny and does not leave me feeling satisfied. These bars are different though, because I can eat one and feel totally satisfied, which is very important as during school I will only have time to eat one thing while quickly walking between classes and work, etc.

Okay, enough talking, on to the recipe!

Power Bars

Ingredients:

·      3 cups old fashioned oats

·      1 cup puffed kamut (or a puffed rice cereal)

·      ½ cup chopped walnuts (or any nut)

·      ½ cup chopped pecans (or any nut)

·      ¼ cup chia seeds

·      ¼ cup flax meal

·      ¼ cup date sugar

·      ½ tsp. salt

·      1 Tbsp. cinnamon

·      ¼ cup sunflower seed butter (or any nut butter)

·      1 cup unsweetened applesauce

·      ½ cup pumpkin puree

·      1 tsp. vanilla

·      ¼ cup chocolate chips (I used SunSpire; more or less depending on desire)

Directions:

1.     Mix together all of the dry ingredients, expect the chocolate chips, in a large mixing bowl.

2.     In a small saucepan, melt together the sunbutter, applesauce, and pumpkin. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

3.     Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix together very well! There should be no dry spots. Don’t be afraid to get in there with your hands! J

4.     Add the chocolate chips.

5.     Dump mixture into pan of choice (I used about 2/3 of a 13x9” pan).

6.     Refrigerate for

This post is shared on Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Allergy Free Wednesdays!