Brainy Bunch Breakfast Bars

Serves 9.  Get it?  Brady Bunch-Brainy Bunch; 9 key characters-9 ingredients & serves 9…  Stinkin’ ingenious, I know!  Each of the ingredients in this recipe are known for their benefits in boosting brain function.  Healthy fats, amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, especially those B vitamins!  Great for school-bound kiddos!

Ingredients

1 cup Pumpkin Seeds, coarsely chopped

1 cup Walnuts, coarsely chopped

½ cup Old-Fashioned Oatmeal

½ cup Dried Blueberries, coarsely chopped

½ cup Dried Cranberries, coarsely chopped

¼ cup Hemp Hearts

2 tbsp Chia Seeds, ground

2 tbsp Flax Seeds, ground

6 Tbsp Royal Jelly or Honey, reserved

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.  Add royal jelly/honey and stir until evenly dispersed.  Alternatively, you can throw all dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse to desired consistency.  Add the honey and pulse to combine.

Line a square baking pan or 9×7 casserole dish with saran or wax paper.  Pour mixture in and spread with spatula or large spoon to get it somewhat level.  Cover with another piece of saran or wax paper and press mixture down as tightly as you can.

Uncover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to allow mixture to set up.  Gently remove from pan and cut into 9 squares or bars.  Place on a plate or tray so there’s room for a gap.  Refrigerate uncovered overnight to allow the bars to set up.

For convenience, you may individually wrap these for a sort of “grab-n-go” breakfast.  Or, you can just store them in one sealable container, being mindful that you keep them separated so they don’t stick together.  Should keep in refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Note: While the fats and sugars in this recipe are all good sources, stick to one at a time.  Each serving is roughly 300 calories & 18 grams of fat.  I don’t count calories but I did tally this one for your convenience as it is mostly nuts and seeds.

 One is a meal, so don’t go nuts with it.  These are good-sized bars but may not seem like a whole lot to someone just starting out.  Yet, they are very dense and chock full of energy.  The added chia and flax also help to make it very filling!  This would be good to pair with a juice or something very light for breakfast.  Obviously, you could also cut these into 12 servings to reduce portion size and thereby reduce calorie/fat intake for each serving.