I made these bars for breakfast on my son’s birthday a couple of weeks ago – stuck a pink, glittery number 5 candle (leftover from a cousin’s b’day, I think) in it, and e’rythang. It was a Maj hit. I doubled the recipe, and just used a large, casserole/baking dish instead of square. I forgot to get raspberries, so I used frozen blueberries, and I substituted organic, whole ground flaxseed meal (I love Bob’s Red Mill!!) for the Baby Brain stuff, cuz I have no idea what that stuff is. I use good ol’ Bob all the time – it’s packed with omega-3s and fiber and protein, too. I also used a cinnamon flavored maple syrup (all I had), so I may add some cinnamon next time, because I absolutely loved how well it all turned out! Made the whole house smell yummy. Just yesterday, my son said, “You ‘member dat time I ate alllll dat stuff wiff da blueberries reeeeally fast, and den ate some more? Can we have dat again?”:) So, I’m gonna try making it again tomorrow, but with raspberries. xx -Carrie
Like a date square, but without the guilt! These bars are vegan, gluten free, and sweetened almost exclusively with bananas. Perfect for breakfast, snack, or as a healthy lunchbox treat.
Ingredients
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Baby Brain Organics Superfood (or whole ground flaxseed meal)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 cups frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Finely grated zest of half a lemon
1 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a 8 inch square baking pan with a sling of parchment paper (cut two pieces of parchment paper about 4 inches longer than the pan, and criss-cross them over each other to make a sling formation).
2. Combine the mashed banana, rolled oats, cinnamon, sea salt, 1/4 cup Baby Brain Organics, coconut oil and coconut in a medium bowl. Combine the raspberries, maple syrup, remaining 2 tablespoons Baby Brain Organics, lemon juice and lemon zest in another bowl.
3. Press 2/3 of the oat mixture into a thin layer in the parchment-lined pan. Distribute the raspberry mixture evenly over top. Place dollops of the remaining oat mixture over the raspberries and gently press it down. You want to distribute it somewhat evenly over top of the raspberry layer, but it won’t cover the entire thing, and that’s ok. Nothing wrong with a rustic look.
4. Sprinkle the whole thing with the sugar (if using) and bake in the 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until nicely set and starting to brown around the edges.
5. Cool for 10 minutes or so and then use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. When completely cool, cut them into squares.
These look so good, but I can’t find Baby Brain here in Korea. What would be the best substitute? Also, do you think frozen blueberries would work? I can’t find frozen raspberries either. :-/
So funny – I wrote in my post that I had no idea what that baby brain stuff was! So, I substituted with organic, whole ground flaxseed meal (I love Bob’s Red Mill). I had also forgotten to get raspberries the first time I made it, so I used blueberries! Both ways taste awesome (either blueberries or raspberries)! You’re gonna love – so, so yummy!! xx -Carrie
2 Comments
Joy
February 14, 2017 - 12:48 amThese look so good, but I can’t find Baby Brain here in Korea. What would be the best substitute? Also, do you think frozen blueberries would work? I can’t find frozen raspberries either. :-/
Carrie
February 14, 2017 - 5:38 pmSo funny – I wrote in my post that I had no idea what that baby brain stuff was! So, I substituted with organic, whole ground flaxseed meal (I love Bob’s Red Mill). I had also forgotten to get raspberries the first time I made it, so I used blueberries! Both ways taste awesome (either blueberries or raspberries)! You’re gonna love – so, so yummy!!
xx -Carrie