Crispy Kale Breakfast Bars

These crispy kale squares, adapted from Power Hungry: The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook, have quickly become my absolute favorite breakfast option, although they are also a good choice for a mid-morning or afternoon energy fix. Made with crispy roasted kale, seeds, oats, some puffed cereal, nut butter, and goji berries, they are power packed with not only good energy-inducing nutritional ingredients but with an enticing combination of textures and flavors that are really quite varied and unique. Although they take a little more effort than many of the energy bars I have featured on Lisa's Kitchen, they are most certainly worth the effort and yield enough to last for a least a week. You will be glad that you took the time, and you'll find yourself making them again and again.

Although any kind of nut or seed butter can be used, such as almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter, it is best to avoid peanut butter in this recipe as it will overwhelm the subtle flavors of these bars. Similarly, if you don't have goji berries on hand, feel free to use dried cranberries or cherries. These bars are sweetened to excellent effect with brown rice syrup (also called rice malt syrup or rice syrup), a thick liquid sweetener with a distinctive nutty taste—you can find it at natural or health food stores, but you can substitute with a little less honey (which is sweeter than brown rice syrup) if you don't have it on hand.

Crispy Kale Breakfast Bars

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Adapted from Power Hungry: The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook by Camilla V. Saulsbury
Published on February 24, 2025

Colorful, crispy and delicious breakfast bars made with oats, berries, and roasted kale

Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 30 to 35 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 large bunch kale (10 oz or 300 g), stems and center ribs removed, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup pepitas or sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cup crisped or puffed rice cereal
1/3 cup goji berries or roughly chopped dried cranberries or cherries
1/2 cup nut or seed butter, such as almond, cashew or sunflower seed
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup coconut or brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions:

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, and lightly grease with oil.
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
To prepare the kale, wash well and shake to remove excess water. Pat dry with paper towels to remove any remaining moisture. Transfer to the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, tossing to coat. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning a few times, until the kale shrinks and is crisp. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Replace the parchment paper with a new sheet and combine the oats, pepitas or sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds on the baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking time, until golden. Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in the puffed cereal and dried berries. Crumble the kale leaves into the bowl and stir to combine.
In a small saucepan, combine the nut butter, syrup, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring, for 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in the almond extract.
Transfer the syrup mixture into the bowl with the oats and kale and stir well to combine.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking pan, and using a piece of parchment paper coated with oil, press the mixture evenly and firmly into the pan. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until firm and set.
To serve, lift the bars onto a cutting board and cut into bars or squares. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or longer in the freezer in a covered container.