Vegan, gluten and nut-free, these tasty no-bake bars are the perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack.
Breakfast is a pretty big deal at my house. I wake up and immediately start thinking about the first thing I get to eat for the day (if it hasn't already been planned it out at dinner the night before). On the mornings I can be found running out the door before the sun rises and baked eggs/french toast/pumpkin pancakes are an impossible option, these bars are a fantastic choice. Not only are they easy to throw together (no bake!), they are full of flavor, fiber and protein.
But one small note of caution: If you are indeed baking these for someone who eats gluten-free, doublecheck their oat sensitivity. Some GF folks can have oats as long as they are processed in a gluten-free facility (try Bob's Red Mill GF oats, for instance) — but others find that they really shouldn't eat oats at all. Just ask first.
Happy munching!
makes one 8x8-inch pan
4 cups old fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free if desired)
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dried bananas; diced
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1 cup sunflower seed butter
1/2 cup raw agave nectar
Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir in sunflower seed butter and agave nectar until well combined. Press into an 8 x 8-inch pan and refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars and enjoy. Store in fridge (or freezer for longer storage).
Related: How To Stock a Vegetarian (or Vegan) Pantry
(Images: Rebekah Peppler)
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Comments (14)
These look great.
What is the difference between sunflower seed butter and tahini?
I'd like to see a little more explanation of how to find and choose gluten-free oats. I wouldn't want someone to be mistaken and think that any oats are gluten-free... Try Bob's Red Mill -- but only the ones that are clearly labeled Gluten Free on the front of the package.
@SarahBerneche: Tahini is made with sesame seeds; sunflower seed butter is made with...sunflower seeds.
No offense, but if you label a recipe as gluten-free you really have to require gluten-free oats. Someone with celiac can get very sick from non-certified oats. I love that you posted a gluten-free recipe, though. More of them would be much appreciated!
Thank you for posting a recipe that is both gluten and nut free - gf recipes often make up for the lack of glomminess provided by gluten with nuts, which is so frustrating! Many of those of us with allergies are multiply-allergic, so I really appreciate a recipe I don't have to work to modify.
@eureka, we'll note that in the recipe. Thanks! And yes! Next week is Gluten-Free Week!
If I don't have access to sunflower seed butter, can I sub in peanut or almond butter?
And, what about replacing the agave nectar with Honey? I guess it's not vegan anymore, but is there anything else that would make that no-good?
thanks!
What about replacing the honey with apple juice?
Would it stick together properly?
I was eager to make these so I used whatever ingredients i had in my house. Peanut butter instead of sunflower butter, sliced almonds instead of sunflower seeds, and honey instead of agave nectar. And they are perfect and delicious!
I made this the other night. It's delicious, but it didn't hold together at all... even though I followed the recipe to a t and left it in the fridge for several days. The top layer holds like a bar perfectly, but the rest just falls apart.
Perhaps mine held together so well because i used a banana bread baking dish (i halved the recipe) so maybe the extra support from the walls helped.
Mine did't hold together either I even tried to bake it and it still fell apart - makes delicious granola with soy milk
I made these, and though they do fall apart quite a bit, they are FANTASTIC!
I only used half the suggested amount of agave nectar, and they were plenty sweet. But maybe that reduction contributed to them falling apart.
I had the same problem with the "bars" falling apart! And they were too sweet for my husband and too salty for me. :-(