Pumpkin Chocolate Bars

We had a wonderful weekend. The weather was even nice enough to go on a walk. I love being outside. I heard inspiring stories at church yesterday that made me want to be better. I wish the weekend could last longer they go by too fast.  My son that is serving an LDS mission wrote today and he is so happy. It is a great day. 

I made these yesterday and they were moist and tasted soo good. The added ingredients of the mashed bananas added a natural sweetness to the bars and a nice moistness too. 

Ingredients 
3 1/2 C spelt flour or whole grain flour
1/2 C chia
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C cocoa 
1 15-oz. can pumpkin, or 2 C fresh pumpkin puree
1/2 C olive oil  or another of your choice
2 eggs
1/2 C water
1 C maple syrup
1 C  vanilla Almond Milk unsweetened
1 C smashed bananas


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease   13 x 9 pan (stoneware works best for whole grains) with cooking spray. (You could also do muffins instead.)

2. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, water,  almond milk, maple syrup, and bananas.

3. Mix together wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Pour into pan.

4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. About 30 minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars (no added sugar)

I have been thinking about a new thought lately after reading a cute story and some other experiences I have had recently. The idea is "Happiness is something you decide ahead of time." I love that thought. It means to me that my happiness needs to be based on what is in my head not on the outside things that are happening around me. I know it takes work to do that. I am still working on it. So prior to my feet hitting the floor in the morning I am going to decide to be happy. I love the idea of working at improving on this. The benefits are that I will be happy each day. :)

These are fun little bars I made up the recipe yesterday. They are fast and easy to make and they have no added sugar. They are a fun little snack.

Ingredients

1 C dark chocolate chips
1/2 C natural peanut butter
2 T coconut oil
2 1/2 C old fashioned oatmeal

Directions

1. Place a sauce pan on the stove and heat to medium low heat. Pour in the chips, peanut butter and oil. Stirring constantly until all melted.
2. Take the pan off the heat stir in the oatmeal until it is all combined with the chocolate mixture.
3. Grease a 9 X 9 Pan and pour in the mixture. Smooth and flatten with a spatula.
4. Place it in the fridge. Let harden 30 min to 1 hour. Cut into squares.
5. Store leftovers in airtight container in the fridge.

Chewy Protein Energy Bars

I loved this picture of my daughter throwing up the leaves yesterday. She was an angel. She came and raked up and bagged 10 bags of leaves and carted them away. We have wonderful children who bless our lives in so many ways. I have loved the times my children and grandchildren have enjoyed playing in our leaves. There are a lot more leaves to come. The trees still have a lot of leaves on them. :) The raking and bagging is not over.

It is easy to find a lot of energy bars in the store. They are often very expensive and a lot a times you need a dictionary to decipher what the ingredient its. The safest bet and healthiest is to make your own ahead of time. Then you know exactly what you are eating.  The key is to make up a batch of them ahead of time and then you will have them ready to go when you need them.

These are loaded with protein. They are low in sweetener and taste great. You can make them your own by being creative and adding your favorite dried fruit or you can leave it out. I left it out this time.  I loved the soft chewiness of these bars. They also had just the right amount of sweetness.  Have a great weekend.


Ingredients

1/2 C chia ground *
1 C Old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 C sunflower seeds
1/4 C whole grain flour (I used spelt)
1/2 C dried fruit of your choosing * optional
1/2 C raw almonds
1/2 C raisins
1/2 C soft dates
1 tsp cinnamon
2 T coconut oil
5 T honey
2 eggs


Directions  Heat oven to 350

1. In a blender or food processor, pulse and blend everything except oil.  honey and eggs. Blend until all broken down.
2. Pour in bowl add oil, honey and eggs. Blend until all combined. I used a wire whisk to get it all to blend together. It will be a thick paste.
3. Grease a 9x9 pan (I love the way stone ware cooks.) Grease pan or line with parchment paper.
4. Place in oven and bake about 15 min or until done.
5. Take out of oven and let cool about 15 min before cutting.
6. Store wrapped up in air tight container individually so they are ready to grab. You can store in the fridge for 3 days or freeze them up to 3 months.

* I ground up chia ahead of time in a small grinder.

Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich Bars

These are a fun tasty snack. They could also be a fun thing to eat for lunch in place of a sandwich. It is a yummy combination of flavors your will love. I love eating peanut butter and jam together on toast. If you love peanut butter and jam sandwiches you will love these. My grandchildren will love them too.


Ingredients

1 C old fashioned oatmeal
1 C spelt flour or whole grain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 C coconut oil
1/2 C honey
1 C creamy peanut butter (natural)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 C fruit only (no sugar) jam  flavor of your choice

Directions

1. In a small bowl mix together oatmeal, flour, and baking powder. Set the bowl aside.
2. In a medium bowl beat together oil, honey, and peanut butter. Then beat in vanilla.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time. The mixture should be smooth and creamy.
4. Beat or stir in the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture until all combined.
5. In an 8 X 8 square pan Scoop in half of the dough. Smooth out on to the bottom of the pan.
6. Then drop spoonfuls of the jam on top of the dough in the pan and smooth out with the back of a spoon or a spatula.
7. Drop the remaining dough on top of the jam. In spoonfuls all over. Then spread gently with a butter knife or spatula. Try not to disturb the jam too much.
8. Place in heated oven. Cooking time 20-25 min. or until golden colored. Take out of the oven and let cool for 10 min. It gives the jam a chance to thicken up.
9. Cut into squares and serve. Store leftovers in air tight container.

Moist Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars (no added sugar)

We had a great weekend. They go by too fast. I love going to church, and then coming home and being with family. I was thinking about family and what an important role they play in my life. I love when my girls come home and they all help in the meal preparation. It is a uniting feeling. Then we go outside and enjoy the family time together as we eat. I think I enjoy being together and bonding more than the food. I love those times. They are sweet times for me.

This is a yummy recipe that I made yesterday. Love Love pumpkin and chocolate chips.  It could be made into bars or muffins. I sometimes just like making the bars then I don't have to clean on the muffin pans. :) I was thrilled I added no sugar to them. They got gobbled up. I was hoping to have some for breakfast today. No luck. I will be making these again real soon. Great for a healthy snack or dessert. Yum!


Ingredients

1C. dates pitted
1 C. water
2 3/4  C whole grain flour (I used spelt)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 15 oz can cooked pumpkin
1/2 c. Coconut oil
2 eggs
1/2 C chopped up dark chocolate chips

Directions   Serves 12

1. Place dates in with the water to soak. For at least an hour. I put them in the fridge over night.
2. Drain off the water and add 1 cup of water. Blend in blender until it forms a smooth paste.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
4. Beat together pumpkin, date paste, coconut oil and eggs together till well blended in a bowl.
5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together till blended. Don't over stir.
6. Stir in the chips. (I like to chop up the chips so they are small pieces throughout.
7. Pour batter into greased 13x9 pan (I like stoneware best). Bake 350 about 25 to 30 min. Don't over bake. Done when toothpick is clean.

* You could also make muffins out of the batter.



Enjoy! Oh Yum!

Peanut Butter Banana Bars (protein)

 Great combination of banana and peanut butter. My grand kids where over and loved them. A nice source of protein too. Nice after school snack or a great snack anytime of the day. It could also make a great breakfast for on the go.

Ingredients
1 ripe mashed banana
1 3/4 old fashioned oatmeal
1/4 C uncooked quinoa washed
1/2 C peanut butter or nut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 C honey
2 T coconut oil

Directions
1. In a small bowl pour in all the ingredients and blend together until all combined.
2. Pour mixture into greased square pan and press down evenly. Cover with plastic
3. Place in fridge and let harden. Serve when hardened.
4. Keep leftovers in fridge in airtight container.

Raw Oatmeal Almond Chocolate Chip Bars

Derek we have had a lot of fun.

I was ready for a lift today. Yesterday was a hard day. I got to close some chapters of our lives.  My son finished his high school tennis career. I was sentimental about that. It has been a great growing experience for all of us. I have seen him grow in leaps and bounds. He will take all the things that he has learned and benefit from them all his life. I will really miss watching him play. The great part is he can play tennis all of his life.  He is an adult now. It is crazy to have all my children adults now. Then the other hard part was to put our cat of 18 years to rest. He has beens such a good kitty. He has lived 9 lives. He has had a lot of close calls that could have taken him sooner. He will be missed. We are happy to have good memories and happy he is free of pain again. I don't like saying goodbye though. New chapters are opening and they will be good. I just always get sentimental when I turn the page to the next chapter. 

We Love you Smokey!

So I was looking forward to doing something fun. I was having a craving for the ingredients that are in an oatmeal cookie and this is what I came up with. they are a yummy treat. They would make a great snack anytime of the day. I always in the mood for a oatmeal treat. How about you? Have a peaceful weekend. 

Ingredients:
1/4 C honey
1/3 C coconut oil melted
1/2 C unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 C almonds chopped
2C old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 tsp almond extract *optional 
1/2 C dark chocolate chips  (I chopped them up a bit in the blender  ) (* or raisins)

Directions: 
1. Pour all the ingredients into a mixer except the chips. Mix until combined.
2. Pour in the chips and stir until just combined. 
3. Press into square pan and press until all evenly distributed. 
4. Place pan into fridge until hardened at least 30 min. 
5. Store in airtight container in the fridge. 

*If you want it thicker double the recipe.

*You could just eat like granola instead of forming into squares. 

Almond Butter Quinoa Bars (gluten free)

This was an experiment that turned out well. I enjoy peanut butter bars but wanted to make a healthier version. Like my grandson recently said, "Grandma has healthy treats!" :) I also made them gluten free which is an added bonus. You could add dark chocolate chips or coconut. I went for the plain version. I think they would freeze well too. They were moist and wonderful!

 Ingredients:

1 C almond butter (natural)
1/2 to 2/3 C honey (Depending on how sweet you want them.)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C quinoa flour
1 tsp baking powder
optional: dark choc. chips, coconut, or dried fruit.  

Directions: heat oven to 350

1. Combine all the wet ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Then stir in the dry ingredients in. 

2. Pour into a square (ceramic if possible) greased pan. 

3. Place in heated oven. Bake about 20 min till knife comes out clean. 

4. Cool prior to cutting  for easier cutting.     

Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

So it has been an good weekend. Our 5th child has graduated from college our daughter Deanna. We are so pleased at her hard work and efforts that helped her complete that task. She is beginning a new chapter with no homework. She is looking forward to that. It has been fun celebrating with her. It is really crazy to have 5 kids done with college. We only have 2 more to go. :) Make it a great weekend.

It is fun to come up with more recipes for yummy bars. There is a list below of 7 more yummy recipes for whole grain bars.  Here is one that I made today. It is a winner because they have great ingredients in them. I kept it healthier as an extra bonus. It would make a great addition to your breakfast, snack, or as a dessert.

Ingredients

1 1/2 C spelt flour or whole grain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 C old fashioned oatmeal
1/3  C coconut oil
1/3 C peanut butter
1/2 C honey
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 C dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a medium bowl measure flour, soda, salt, and oatmeal and pour into bowl. Stir around with a whisk or spoon. Set the bowl aside.

2. In another medium bowl blend together the oil, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Stir with a spoon until mixture is all creamy.

3. Blend in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is a nice creamy consistency.

4. Fold in the the dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Blend until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

5. Pour into an 8 X 8 Square pan that has been greased or line with parchment paper. ( I like ceramic ones for whole grains. I think the baked item turns out better.)

6. Place the pan in hot oven. Bake for about 20 to 25 min. or until done. Cool on wire rack and cool, Cut them when they are all cooled. Enjoy!


Here are some more bars:


Moist Oatmeal Bars

Oatmeal chocolate bars

Moist Wholegrain Pumpkin Bars

Whole Grain Date Bars

Whole Grain Date Apricot Bars

Whole Grain Fruit Bars

Whole Grain Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

Whole Grain Fruit Bars

 We  had a wonderful time going to California. That is where I was raised, so a part of me is still there.We also have our son and his wife who recently moved there, and two siblings living there, so it feels good to visit. We have had a mild winter, but, getting off the plane and feeling the sun shine down on us was amazing. :) I love the sunshine. (I feel like a cat sometimes enjoying the sunshine coming through the windows.) It fills me up and energizes me.  I also love the water that is in San Diego. The family time was the best part. That is what life is all about.   It was a very nice visit. 

I made these bars and we enjoyed them. They have a nice mixture of grains in them. They could be used for breakfast or a snack. Hope you enjoy them. Have a wonderful Day!    



Ingredients:
For the crust and topping

2 1/2 C whole Grain flour  *(spelt, kamut, quinoa, brown rice and amaranth) 
3/4  C honey or 1 C sugar
2 1/4 C oatmeal (Old fashioned style)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1  1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 C coconut oil 


For the Fruit Filling
1/4 C honey or 1/3 C brown sugar
1 T lemon zest
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 T whole grain flour or 1/2 T ultra gel
1 1/2 C berries of your choice I used boysenberries
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 C water
2 T butter 


Parchment paper




Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9 " pan  and line with parchment paper that extends up the sides of the pan.  (For easy removal after it bakes.) 


2. In a medium size bowl pour in all the ingredients. With a pastry blender or a fork and knife cut in the honey and oil until it is all crumbly. Reserve 2 C of the mixture for the topping. Press the remaining ingredients into the pan lined with parchment paper. Make sure it touches all the way to the sides. ( I love the way stoneware cooks whole grains.) Bake until lightly golden about 15 min or a little less.       
  
3. Place on cooling rack to cool. While it is baking Pour all the ingredients for the filling into a medium saucepan and cook till it thickens. Should take about 5 to 10 min. Then pour on to the crust. 

4. Crumble remaining flour mixture on top of the filling . Bake another 30 min. Approx or till lightly golden.   

5. Cool and  serve! 

* Flour mixture approx. 1 C spelt, 1 C kamut, 1/2 C quinoa, 1/2 C brown rice, 1/2 C amaranth. I had left overs.