Green Child Magazine Summer 2016 | Page 22

healthy foods, fast |by Kylah Dobson Certified Nutrition Therapy Practitioner (CNTP) Author of Seasonally Nourished Nut-Free Chocolate Granola Bars These granola bars are the perfect salty sweet snack for a child’s school lunch. They are completely nut, dairy and gluten free and only take 15 minutes to make. The recipe makes 14 healthy, whole foods granola bars and lasts in the fridge for two weeks. A perfect alternative to the store bought variety! Ingredients • • • • 2 cups rolled oats 1/2 cup sunflower seeds 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut 1 1⁄2 cups unsweetened puffed quinoa (rice, millet, quinoa etc.) • 1⁄2 cup dried fruit (raisins, dates, figs, prunes, cranberries, goji berries), roughly • • • • • • chopped 1⁄4 tsp. sea salt 1 1⁄2 Tbsp. cacao powder 1/2 cup brown rice syrup or honey 3 Tbsp. maple syrup 1⁄2 cup tahini or nut butter 2 Tbsp. coconut oil 1 tsp. vanilla extract Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C. Combine oats, sunflower seeds and shredded coconut on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the oats are golden and have a nutty aroma. 2. In a small saucepan combine the honey, maple syrup, tahini, coconut oil, vanilla. Whisk to combine. Do not overheat. 3. In a large bowl, combine the cooled oats, sunflower seeds and shredded coconut with the chopped dried fruit, puffed quinoa, 22 salt, and cacao powder. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir quickly to mix. 4. Pour the mix into a brownie pan (9x12) lined with parchment baking paper. Press the mixture firmly, especially into the corners. Place in the freezer for twenty minutes or the fridge for a couple hours to firm up, then remove from fridge and slice into bars. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up two weeks.