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Snacks
Gluten-Free Vegan Fruit Bars
MAKES 12 BARS
Loaded with fresh pears, dried fruit and seeds, this treat nourishes with antioxidants and fiber while it staves off hunger.
¾ cup gluten-free All-Purpose Flour Blend
1 cup toasted quinoa flakes or gluten-free oats
¼ cup date sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup maple syrup or agave syrup
¼ cup oil of choice
1 egg or flax gel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 pears, peeled and coarsely grated
½ cup chopped dates, dried apricots or dried cranberries
¼ cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted, optional
¼ cup hulled pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted
2-3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix together flour blend, toasted quinoa flakes or oats, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon.
3. Stir in maple syrup, oil, egg and vanilla. Add pears, dates, almonds and pumpkin seeds. Stir well to combine.
4. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle sesame seeds over mixture.
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until done. Cool. Cut into 12 bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Each bar contains 198 calories, 5g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 86mg cholesterol, 55mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 5g protein.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend
MAKES 1 CUP
Use this blend for all your gluten-free baking.
½ cup rice flour
¼ cup tapioca starch
¼ cup cornstarch or potato starch
Thoroughly combine all ingredients. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until used. Double or triple recipe to make as much flour mix as you need.
Each cup contains 436 calories, 1g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 99g carbohydrate, 3mg sodium, 2g fiber, 5g protein.
Flax Gel
To replace one egg, mix together 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons hot water. Let stand, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until thick. Use without straining. (You can use salba seeds or chia seeds instead of flax meal.)
Comments (3)
The Food Editor at LW said you can omit the cinnamon and not replace it or use a little nutmeg and cloves (about 1/4 teaspoon each). In place of rice flour, you can use sorghum or quinoa flour. The bars do not need to be refrigerated at all times. She suggested freezing bars and breads before traveling. This way, they are apt to stay cool en route. Pop them in the refrigerator at your destination.
Posted by: LW Moderator | September 12, 2010 10:50 PM Report this comment
I am going to Hawaii and will be on a cruise ship for a week. I need something as a snack, there is a ref in my room, will this be OK to take when I fly and have with me when I tour the islands or does it have to be refrigerated all the time? Also what flour can I use instead of rice and what spice instead of cinnamon?
Posted by: MARY LEPAGE | September 12, 2010 8:00 AM Report this comment
This is a great recipe. I make them all the time, keep them individually wrapped in the freezer and have a grab-and-go breakfast. I use apricots with almonds. When I use dried cranberries, I switch to pecans, and substitute orange flavoring for the vanilla. Once I only had 1 pear so I also used an apple, and walnuts.
Posted by: Pam | July 22, 2010 8:48 AM Report this comment