Nothing makes you appreciate a nourishing “on-the-go” meal more than trying to get out the door on time with babies (and your sanity) will. I have a newfound respect for recipes that can be thrown in your bag, made in under 30 minutes, provide minimal clean up, AND everyone can enjoy.
These ‘On-The-Go Glow Bars’ solve a lot of our problems with just one bite. Not only are they packed with a variety of nuts and seeds with an incredible nutrition profile, they also have that salty-sweet-chewy-delicious-old school granola bar thing going for them.
I am always swapping ingredients into my recipes, so feel free to do the same — use what you have on hand and what you know will lure your family in for a big bite.
**This recipe was inspired by one of the best in the game-- Angela Liddon// Oh She Glows Cookbook
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Equipment
Oven ( only if toasting your pecans )
Freezer
9x9 pan
Rolling Pin ( optional )
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Serves: 12 bars
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Ingredients
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1.5 cups gluten-free oats
1 cup quinoa flakes
5 Medjool dates, de-pitted and rough chopped ( sub 1/3 cup cranberries or chocolate chips )
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp golden flax seeds
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt
1/3 cup raw honey or maple syrup
1/3 cup tbsp almond butter or peanut butter
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
Toast your pecans: preheat the oven to 300F. Spread pecans out onto a baking sheet. Toast them in the oven for 6-7 minutes or until fragrant and they deepen in color. Remove from the oven when ready and allow them to cool.
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Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl add your cooled pecans, gluten-free oats, quinoa flakes, date pieces, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, cinnamon and sea salt. Mix all until evenly combined.
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In a small saucepan, stir together your honey/maple syrup and nut butter and warm over low-medium heat. Continue to stir as the mix begins to soften and lightly bubble.
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Turn off the heat and move the pan off the hot burner. Stir in your vanilla extract.
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Pour the warm mixture into your bowl of ingredients, scraping out any last bits from the pan.
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Prepare to stir the oat mix extremely well and until all is coated with the wet mixture.
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Transfer all to your prepared pan and place another sheet of parchment paper over the top. This will help you spread the mix into a compact and even layer without getting your hands sticky. Feel free to use a rolling pin or rounded glass to help even all out. You want this to be as compact as possible so your bars don’t crumble!
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When ready allow bars to set in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour. When ready slice and enjoy! Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator or the freezer.
