Ayurvedic Chai Spiced Granola Bars
Hello loves!
These these these! These bars are life. And this time, I say that with a level of deep sincerity that supersedes previous recipe posts where I have stated the very same thing. What makes these so special? Well, last night we got back from a SIX-day hiking trek through the glorious Cedarburg mountains. We took everything we needed: food, shelter, clothes and water. Everything that we would need to see us through the six days (except for the water which we filled up on at various fresh springs).
While it was phenomenal and a truly transformative experience, it was not all rainbows and cozy camp fire story telling. It. Was. Freezing. It literally SNOWED on us while we hiked. And we knew things were for real (and that were weren’t just over-exaggerating) when our olive oil froze. The reason I bring this up in this post is because these jam-packed granola bars played a massive role in the sustaining of our: everyday missioning, our elevated moods and our general optimistic demeanour which was, by all accounts, challenged consistently by the elements for 3-4 days straight. They gave us our daily vooma to get through radical cold, loooots of walking and steep climbs. So, I can say with a degree of certainty that these bars really are amazing for taking on picnics, hiking missions, travel experiences or long work days. And are more than capable of lifting a dreary mood.
In conclusion, it was an incredible trip. One that will forever be etched into my internal memory bank. I took so much from this experience. So much so that it has inspired me to write an entire post on what you can learn from doing an epic mission like this; one where you completely surrender to the elements and immerse yourself fully in natures’ humbling embrace. More on what I learnt and why we should all do this sort of immersion more regularly in another post to come.
More on the bars
I am so in love with these at present. I am currently exploring different flavours and variations of these and will share them with you in time. I feel like a whole new world has opened up for me in terms of delicious treats to have on hand. A recipe like this is wonderful because it forms a “base” recipe from which you can now let creative freedom take over and then you have the free rein to concoct variations that tickle your fancy on any given day.
These are deliciously crunchy, chewy, substantial (especially if you slather some extra nut butter on there! or serve with some fruit and such) yet also light enough to have as a snack if you wish. They are jam packed with good ingredients and high in protein, heart healthy fats and sustaining carbohydrates. YUM.
Side bar: I am so grateful for those of you who e-mailed me in response to the previous post (which was the first one I have posted in over a year). Thank you for your kind words of encouragement and for the generosity of spirit and supportive well wishes. I am very glad that you are still here journeying with me and The Healing Root. And I am very much looking forward to sharing more with you as time goes on. Particularly in the realm of Ayurveda and healing, seeing as this is a topic many of you have asked to learn more about!
Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chai flavoured vegan protein powder (or protein mix of choice)
1/3 cup chopped whole almonds
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raisins OR cranberries
1/4 cup chopped dates
5 tablespoons honey
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp different nut butter (pecan/almond/tahini or more peanut butter)
2 tbsp whole flax seeds
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Salt
Methods:
Line a flat baking dish with coconut oil. Preheat the oven on 180-200 degrees Celsius.
In a bowl place all of your dry ingredients. Mix well.
In a saucepan, add the coconut oil, nut butters, honey. Melt together over a gentle heat (avoid letting it get to a boil).
Place heated liquid into the bowl of dry goods. Mix everything together well.
Press the mixture strongly into the baking tray. Make sure that the mixture is evenly spread and pressed tight.
Place into the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown, delicious smelling and cooked through evenly. Take out, let cool and then slice into bars with a sharp knife.
ENJOY!
NOTE: If you’d like to make these more decadent, melt some chocolate and drizzle over the bars! To store, keep in an airtight container either in the fridge or in the pantry.
