Video episode – If an eight year old can make this recipe, so can you!

Author: Dr. Michelle Durkin on 1 August 2017

One of the things that really trips people up about healthy eating is that they think for it to be healthy, it's going to be complicated. And once that thought creeps in, they don't even try. Has this ever happened to you? I know it's happened to me (refer to the homemade salad dressing episode!).

Here is just one example of a recipe that is so easy even my eight year old niece can make it. This one is called Slow Cooker Energy Bars. They make a nice, light snack that is gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-carb. You can find the recipe below the video.

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Slow Cooker Energy Bars

Ingredients:

1 tsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp maple syrup
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup quinoa (dry, uncooked)
1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (smaller ones are better than the large ones)
2 tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

Line the bottom of your slow cooker with parchment paper. Do this by tracing the shape of the slow cooker onto parchment, cutting it out and placing it into the bottom of the slow cooker. Brush the parchment with coconut oil.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the tahini and maple syrup. Whisk together until smooth.

3. Add in the almond milk, cinnamon and salt. Continue to whisk until well combined.

4. Whisk in the eggs until combined, then stir in quinoa, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, coconut, and chia seeds.

5. Pour the mixture into your slow cooker and cook on low setting for 3.5 hours.

6. Run a knife around the outside perimeter of the slow cooker bowl. Carefully, turn the bowl over onto a large plate to release the bars. Place plate into the refrigerator to cool completely before cutting into individual bars. Enjoy!

Storage:

Store in an airtight container in the freezer up to 6 months.

Now I would love to hear from you! What is one snack you are currently buying that you could replace with making your own healthy snack? Leave a comment below and I'll be back after my holidays with another edition of Doctor as Teacher Tuesday!