Super Healthy Snack Bars

Full of protein, fiber, iron and good fats, these healthy dense moist bars can be eaten as a snack or part of a meal any time of the day! I was on a mission to create a super healthy fruit/veggie packed baked treat that could be enjoyed by my 9 month old and 3 year old (and myself!). I didn't want any refined sugars, it had to be wheat free and it needed to be full of good calories. Both of my kids LOVED it!!! I cut it up into tiny little cubes for my 9 month old and they were easy for him to pick up and feed himself (easier for me!). He hates mushy baby food so this bar is perfect for him. It's actually kinda like baby food in a bar form...I'm so devious. I also trialed it on my 2 year old nephew who is a little pickier than my kids and he inhaled it! Success:)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup apricot purée
• 2 very ripe medium size bananas
• 1 medium size roasted sweet potato
• 2 eggs (I only use organic free range eggs...happy hens= happy me)
• 1/3 cup pure coconut oil
• 1 cup almond meal/flour
• 1 cup oat flour (I ground up organic old fashioned oats in my magic bullet to make oat flour)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp real vanilla extract

Method

1. To make apricot purée: place approximately 15 dried organic (unsulphured) apricots inside a sauce pan. Add enough filtered water to cover the apricots. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat and allow to simmer until apricots look plump and soft enough to mash with a fork. They should have absorbed most of the water by this point. Measure out 1/2 cup of mashed apricot for the recipe.
2. To make roasted sweet potato: scrub a medium size sweet potato and place onto aluminum foil on a baking pan. Bake at 375 F for at least an hour. This allows the sugars in the sweet potato to caramelize. You should see juices oozing out and it should be very soft when poked with a fork. Cool and remove skin before mashing. The skin should fall off easily.


3. Combine apricot purée, mashed sweet potato and mashed banana in a large bowl. Blend until smooth.  
   
4. Add in melted coconut oil, eggs and vanilla. Blend. 
   
   
5. In a separate bowl, combine almond flour, oat flour, baking powder and salt.  
   
6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. 
   
7. Pour into an 8 x 11 inch greased baking pan or glass dish. I used coconut oil for greasing. Bake at 350° F for approximately 40 minutes. 
   
   
   Allow to cool until warm to the touch. Then cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to cool completely (couple of hours). This seals in the moisture. Cut into bars and enjoy!!! Best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  

Tip! To make this recipe gluten free, simply use gluten free oats. 

She loves it!  I win! 

Tip! Add in 1/4 cup of hemp seeds to up the nutritional value even more.

Let us know how your healthy snack bars turn out!

P.s. We will be working on a nut free vegan version and a chocolatey version...Mmmmm....stay tuned!