When it comes to relationships, there a few things that are for certain. Being able to make your partner food, recipe test with them, and also add to their overall health and happiness is a true gift. Ok, the truth is that I don’t ALWAYS feel like making Faris his breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sometimes, I just want to tell him to suck it up, and make it himself. However, when I get past that moment of irritability, exhaustion or major PMS- it does reign true that I love making food for him. The icing on top is when he seriously loves what I’ve made. These bars are a great example.
Faris loves his morning breakfast bar. So much. Since we first met here in Dubai, it became incredibly clear that routine and structure are both very important to him, and there is nothing like his morning breakfast bar. He truly looks forward to it, alongside his morning coffee (of course). For so many months I continued to watch him buy a package of relatively healthy bars at our local organic store- knowing full well that I could not only make better and more delicious bars, but I could also make them exponentially healthier. That, and we would save money.
I made these bars for the first time months back when I was visiting in Vancouver. I found a recipe on Deliciously Ella which inspired them- and found the recipe so incredibly easy that it remained ingrained my mind till now. I am all about recipes that are not only easy to remember- but that are also versatile. Meaning, exact measurements are not the most important foundation and you can switch out and add ingredients based on what you have, what is in season and what you feel like eating.
These bars are sh*t. I promise.
I have already tried several variations and as I write this I can imagine even more in my mind. Basically, the idea is that you are creating a porridge square- and you mind can wander as you begin to think of the different types of porridge flavours and themes out there. I’m thinking: raspberry, rhubarb, strawberry, apple, peach, pear, pumpkin pie, lemon, coconut, chocolate… different spices– let your imagination wander.
Basically, you’ve got try this recipe. You can bake a batch and have them in the fridge to enjoy each morning for the whole week (and share them with your loving partner too: bonus!) You can freeze some of the bars, and remove them to thaw as a grab-and-go snack.
They are nourishing, they are filling, they are satiating…and they are way better than a First Date.
Enjoy!
- 3 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup almond mylk
- 2 tsp vanilla powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 cup dried dates and figs, chopped
- 1/2 cup frozen, thawed blueberries (or fresh)
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 cup hemp seeds
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- Preheat oven to 180 C
- Grease a baking dish with organic coconut oil
- Combine all ingredients aside from the figs, dates and blueberries and pulse blend in a food processor (or blender)
- Do not blend fully, just pulse until all ingredients mix and stick together, and the batter is thick and chunky
- Add your fruit and mix with spatula
- Place batter into baking dish, pat down to make even and flat
- Bake for 30 minutes (until fork comes out clean and there is slight browning of surface)
- Remove from oven, allow to cool for 30 minutes
- Cut into squares
- Eat immediately, place in fridge for 7 days OR freeze for quick snacks to go
