Clean Foods by Rebecca

Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free

These bars are sooo yummy – you have to try them out! They keep well in the freezer for weeks so you can always grab one when you are needing a sweet fix – although it’s hard for me and my family to keep them around for more than a couple days. Feel free to swap out cashews for peanuts, pecans or almonds if you prefer. I like to swap out some of the maple syrup in the bottom two layers for Yacon syrup. It is a natural sweetener from the yacon root that is very low in sugar and high in prebiotics to feed the good bacteria in your gut. But don’t fret if you don’t want to buy another ingredient – pure maple syrup makes these even more irresistible. And remember to use a good quality nut butter – I have links to some of my favorites. Stick to nut butters that have nuts as the only ingredient (and possibly some sea salt added).

Bottom Layer:

• 1 ¼ cup blanched almond flour
• 2 Tbsp liquid coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup (I like to use half Yacon Syrup to reduce sugar content)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Caramel Layer:

• 1/4 cup cashew, peanut, or almond butter
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup (again you can swap half for Yacon syrup)
• 1/2 cup crushed lightly toasted or roasted cashews or pecans

Chocolate Layer:

• 1/4 cup room temp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup liquid coconut oil
• 1/4 cup cacao powder

Instructions:

• Lightly spray a small pan (I used 8.5’x6″) with avocado oil, then line it with parchment paper.
• First, add the almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt to a large bowl. Mix well, then transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it evenly into the bottom. Place the pan in the freezer to chill while you make the next layer.
• To make the caramel layer, stir together the nut butter and maple syrup until very smooth. Pour the caramel over the bottom layer, and spread it out evenly.
• Sprinkle the toasted & crushed cashews over the top of the caramel and lightly press them into the caramel. Set the pan in the freezer while you make the top layer.
• To prepare the chocolate coating, mix together the cacao powder, coconut oil, and room temp maple syrup.
• Pour the chocolate topping over the other layers and use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly. Sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt if you like.
• Place the pan in the freezer to set until the bars are firm, at least 2 hours. Slice into small bars and store them in a glass container in the freezer. If you used yacon syrup they have a denser texture and will melt quickly so keep frozen. Enjoy!