High Protein Breakfast Bars

Like so many of us these days, my husband rarely has time in the morning for a proper healthy breakfast before going off to work. Pouring a bowl of cold breakfast cereal or having a store-bought breakfast bar is a quick fix for many people, but the appetite for morning nourishment is only briefly whetted by these highly processed and sugar-laden foods. Without taking much time at all, I can easily make him one or two weeks' worth of quick morning breakfast bars that are far more nutritious than anything bought at the store.

Made with oats and spelt, almond butter, tahini, and hemp, chia and flax seeds, these baked breakfast bars are packed with nutrients including about 13 1/2 grams of protein each, and only take about 40 minutes from start to finish to make up to two weeks' worth of breakfasts. And with semisweet chocolate chips and dried cherries added, and sweetened with honey or maple syrup, they're bars that are not just healthier but tastier than breakfasts out of a box. Once you try these, you'll be looking forward to breakfast.

High Protein Breakfast Bars

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Published on January 16, 2020

Healthy protein rich breakfast or snack bars loaded with seeds and nuts

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 to 22 minutes

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled or steel-cut oats
1/2 cup spelt flakes (or additional oats)
1 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon flax seeds
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup almond butter
1/3 cup raw honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

Line a 8 × 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving some overlapping the edges of the pan, and lightly brush with coconut oil. Preheat an oven to 325°F.
In a food processor, pulse together the oats, spelt flakes, hemp seeds, dried cherries, chocolate chips, coconut, chia seeds and flax seeds until the mixture is finely ground — take care not to over blend, so you don't end up with a paste.
Add the tahini, almond butter, honey or maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Process until just combined.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, pressing down firmly and evenly using the back of a spoon or a lightly oiled piece of parchment paper.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool in the pan.
When cool, lift the bars from the pan using the edges of the parchment paper onto a cutting board. Cut into twelve 1-inch × 1 1/2-inch bars.
Store remaining bars in a well-sealed container for a few days at room temperature, or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 12 bars