Weekday Wonder Bars: A Great Granola Bar That Travels Well

By Meg Pearson, Raw Food Chef & Yoga Instructor

If you are a parent, you know that this time of year marks one thing for sure: back-to-school lunches!  I have been packing my meals for as long as I can remember, and these days my hectic schedule has me not only brown-bagging my mid day meal, but most often times I am also munching on my morning one on the go as well.  One of my go-to breakfasts has long been the combination of a thick and fruity green smoothie, with a side of superfood snack bar.  This bar here is a chewy treat, almost like a bowl of oatmeal in a bar.  Add in a handful of raw cacao nibs or chocolate cjips to please even the choosiest of children.

This recipe will leave plenty of leftovers to pack for the road, and snack on all week long, and you can get it and plenty more in my new cookbook “MAP Wellness Morsels: Life in the Raw”, available at the clinic this fall!

Ingredients
2 medium very ripe bananas
2 Cups rolled oats
¼ Cup agave syrup
1 Cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 Tbsp flax seeds
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ Cup raw sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1.     In a large bowl, mash bananas using a fork or potato masher.
2.     Add all remaining ingredients and combine well with spoon or spatula.
3.     Press mixture firmly into a 9X9 baking dish (you may want to grease the pan with coconut oil if it is not non-stick).
4.     Bake for 25-35 minutes until desired texture is achieved (if you want them chewier, aim for 25 minutes, more crisp, go for 30-35 minutes!)
5.     Allow to cool, and then cut into 12-16 bars.

These store well on the counter for a few days, and hold up very well when stored in the fridge or more long-term in the freezer.

Meghan Pearson is a Nutritarian (labels are tough!), passionate cook, Alissa Cohen certified Living on Live Food Chef and Instructor, and Culinary Nutrition Expert.  She is also a Yoga Teacher, Reiki Practitioner and Live Well Educator, with a strong focus on informing others about the benefits of following a plant-heavy diet and focusing on whole life balance.  You can find out more on her website or follow her on Twitter: @MAPWellness