Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

I found this recipe, tweaked it a bit and these are a delicious "treat" and easy to snack on at home or on the go!

1-3/4 cups Organic Oats (gluten-free if needed or I used an oats/quinoa blend)
1/2 cup Organic Coconut Sugar
3/4-1 cup Organic Brown Rice Flour (original recipe called for whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1/3 cup Raw Organic Honey
2 Tbsp. Melted coconut oil
1/4 cup Raw Sunflower Seeds
1/4 Cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds
1/4 cup enjoy life chocolate chips (optional)

Mix all ingredients together (I did the wet first), then press into a greased pan (mine was 8 x 11)-dough will be a bit crumbly but presses in well.  Bake at 325 for 25 minutes (pulling it out after 20 minutes to sprinkle the chocolate chips on the top so they do not fully melt-or you could drizzle melted chocolate on top afterwards).  Take out and let cool entirely before cutting into rectangles and place in snack size baggies (if they can last that long, my family devoured these)!

Banana Pancakes Two Ways

Here are two delicious ways to make banana pancakes (quick and cheap too), one is grain-free and the other is simply gluten free but both are healthy and tasty (and filling)!

Paleo Pancakes:
2 ripe bananas
3 eggs
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 Tbsp coconut flour
1 Tbsp chia seed
1 tsp cinnamon
coconut oil (for cooking in hot skillet)

1.  Using an electric mixer, mash the bananas and mix in the eggs.  Combine until frothy.
2.  Add in remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.
3.  Let batter sit for 5-10 minutes then cook (you need to cook extra on side one so they flip nicely).  Serve hot with pure maple syrup (or raw honey as my daughter and husband prefer)!

Gluten-Free Rice Flour Pancakes:
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
1/2 Cup Coconut/Almond Milk
1 egg (two if you prefer pancakes a bit fluffier)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon
sprinkle sea salt
1 cup Organic Brown Rice Flour (cheap at all stores)

1.  Using electric mixer, mash the bananas and combine wet ingredients until smooth.
2.  Add dry ingredients then mix well again until batter is smooth.
3.  Add in berries, chocolate chips, nut butter or prepare plain.
4.  Use more coconut oil to cook 3-5 minutes each side.
Serve hot with pure maple syrup or raw honey!

These were both tasty!  The coconut flour version was tougher to flip and a bit more cumbly and did not store batter well for leftovers, but the rice flour blend was like a "normal" pancake and great left over as well!