TASTES LIKE BREAKFAST BARS - AIP

Prep time: 15 minutes

Prep notes: a food processor or high power blender will be needed

Cooking time: 0 minutes

Yields: 8 bars

 

Ingredients: 

 

18 medjool dates, soaked and pitted
1 1/2 cup coconut flakes
6 strips of bacon, chopped and cooked
5 tbsp carob powder
5 tbsp bacon fat, melted
3 tbsp water, saved from soaked dates

optional - 2 tbsp cricket protein powder

 

Directions: 

 

Soak dates in water for at least one hour, then remove pits.  Save the water.

 

Chop bacon into small bits, and fry until done.  Save the fat!

 

When the bacon is cooked, start putting all ingredients into your food processor and blend until it's a big gooey blob.

 

Press the gooey goodness into a parchment lined 8 x 8 inch baking dish and put it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to set.  I didn't use parchment, and the bars were quite difficult to get out of the dish, so don't say I didn't warn you!  ;)

 

Cut into 8 bars and enjoy with your friends!  They'll keep in the frige for a few days and they freeze well.

 

Notes: 

 

**updated November 6, 2016 from the original.

I call these "Tastes Like Breakfast Bars" because they really do taste like breakfast, all in one bite.  The salty bacon with the carob, makes it taste like coffee, and the dates give it just a bit of sweetness, but not over-much, and the coconut is just barely there.  These are AIP compliant, using carob instead of cacao powder.  If you are not following AIP you could use cacao powder, but reduce it to about 3 tbsp.  You could also use chocolate chips, but I like the all over darkness using a powder.  I tried to find carob chips, but they all have hydrogenated oils and soya lecithin, so not a particularly good choice for health generally, or for AIP.  These do not need any added sweetener of any sort, the dates and the carob are sweet enough naturally.  I added 2 tbsp of cricket protein powder, just because. This is optional, if you don't like the idea of eating insects, or if you're allergic to shellfish, you could cross react with crickets.

 

These were inspired by all the dates wrapped in bacon stuffed with almonds that are all over Pinterest, (and because I am addicted to dates and bacon!) but I wanted a snack bar that could be wrapped and taken along for a bike ride, or a walk in the woods, or a snack at the movies even, that would be some tasty energy for someone following AIP who has few (or no) options for convenience foods.  Other than fruits and vegetables of course.  These fit the bill perfectly I think!  They're super easy to make (if you have a food processor) and really super tasty!  I quite like the carob flavour.  My Kreacher dog did too!  There's nothing in there that he shouldn't eat, though like for people, this is an occasional treat, not an every day thing. 

If you try this recipe, please let me know if you like them.

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