Almond-Date Breakfast Bars

Are you someone who follows routines? 

In some parts of my life, I have developed a system for doing things and rarely do I deviate from my approach. Take writing newspaper articles for example. I email my sources, record my interviews and take notes for back-up, highlight the most important quotes, and structure my story around these quotes. It's a methodical structure that produces solid results every time. But there are some tasks that I have not gotten used to, such as waking up before school every morning. I stumble out of bed at least 10 minutes after my alarm goes off, throw on my uniform, and sprint down the stairs. No matter how hard I try to maintain a schedule, going to school will always be an unpredictable scramble out the door.

This past week, however, I broke a routine that I have stuck to religiously: breakfast. Weekday breakfasts consist of three options: eggs, bagels, and granola. I craved a change- something tasty and special, but healthy enough that I would feel energized after my first meal of the day. 

Leave it to Deb Perelman to devise the perfect recipe to relieve my breakfast slump. These almond-date bars are nutty from the almonds and oats, and naturally sweetened with honey and chewy, plump dates. Their golden brown edges and slightly crumbly texture are features only attainable in wholesome, homemade treats. If that wasn't enough to convince you, these little gems happen to be 100% vegan. It was only after I enjoyed my first bar that I discovered this fact. 

So, what are you waiting for? It's not so bad to break routines once in a while. 

Recipe courtesy of The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients 
1 cup chopped dried pitted dates 
1 1/4 cups rolled oats 
3 tblsp barley or whole-wheat flour 
1/3 cup wheat germ*
1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds 
1/2 tsp salt 
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 
1/4 cup almond butter 
1/4 cup olive oil 
1/4 cup honey 
1/4 tsp freshly grated orange zest 
1/4 tsp almond extract 

Yields 16 2-inch square bars 

*I did not have wheat germ on hand, so I substituted wheat bran instead. 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square ban in one direction with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang off the sides a bit. Do the same in the opposite direction. This parchment "sling" makes it easy to remove the bars from the pan later on. 
2. In a large bowl, stir together the dates, oats, flour, wheat germ/bran, almonds, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the almond butter, olive oil, honey, orange zest, and almond extract until smooth. Pour these wet ingredients over the dry mixture, and stir them together until the dry ingredients are evenly coated. 
3. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, pressing it firmly to the bottom, edges, and corners to ensure they are molded to the shape of the pan. Bake the bars for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the tops have a bit of color too. They will feel soft when you touch them, but will set up once completely cool. 
4. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack. Once they're cool, use a serrated knife to cut the bars into squares. If they seem crumbly, chill them in the fridge for an additional 30 minutes, then cut them cold. 

Coconut Chocolate Granola Bars

Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is 

Ingredients 
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 
1/2 cup raw sliced almonds 
1/2 cup raw whole almonds, coarsely chopped 
1/4 cup flaxseed 
3 tblsp whole wheat flour 
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1/3 cup packed coconut oil 
1/3 cup honey 
1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks 

Makes 8-12 bars, depending on how big you cut them. 

1.  Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper. 
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, shredded coconut, flour, flaxseed, sliced almonds, chopped almonds, salt, and chocolate chunks, mixing very thoroughly until combined. In a small bowl, combine honey and coconut oil, microwaving on high power for 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each increment, until coconut oil is melted. Stir vanilla extract into coconut oil mixture, then pour the entire mix over the dry ingredients.

3. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir until all of the ingredients are evenly coated in the coconut oil. Press the dough into the pan, pressing with the back of the spoon to smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Allow the bars to cool to room temperature before placing them in the refrigerator for an hour to harden. Remove from the fridge and cut into squares. Serve immediately, or return them to the fridge for later consumption.

Now that reality has sunk in and school is in full swing, every day is a race from one class to the next, onto the yellow bus to tennis matches, and finally back home where I glue myself to a chair for long, treacherous hours of homework. In order to maintain my health and sanity in this crazy whirlwind of a schedule, I need snacks. And not just your run-of-the-mill sliced apples or suspiciously neon orange "flavor blasted" goldfish, but a hearty, satisfying, and delicious item that I can eat on the go. Enter Coconut Chocolate Granola Bars- a nutty, chocolatey, oat-y treat that is both satisfying and good for you. These trump my favorite store-bought granola bars in both flavor and freshness. They're made from whole ingredients you can find in your pantry and that are easy to pronounce, unlike the mystery products listed on the backs of many wrappers. As hectic as my life has become in the past month, escaping to this nutritious homemade snack gives me the right boost of energy to keep going. 

Chocolate Coconut Bars

Ingredients 
3 tablespoons butter 
6 whole graham crackers 
3/4 cup milk 
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips 
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
1 pinch of salt 
1/2 cup shredded coconut 


Makes 12 bars.


1. Line the 8-inch square baking pan or dish with foil so that the foil hangs over the sides. 
2. Grease the foil with butter. 
3. Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. 
4. Once melted, move the pan to a heatproof surface and allow the butter to cool for 5 minutes. 
5. Put the graham crackers in a zippered plastic bag, press out the air, and seal. 
6. Using a rolling pin, crush the crackers to make small crumbs. You should have 1 cup of crumbs. 
7. Add the crumbs to the butter and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended. 
8. Scape the crumbs into the baking pan. 
9. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the crumbs. Using your hand, evenly spread the crumbs to coat the bottom of the pan. 
10. Heat the milk and chocolate chips in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the chips are completely melted. 
11. Add the vanilla extract and salt to the chocolate filling. Stir until completely blended. 
12. Pour the filling over the graham cracker crust and spread evenly with a wooden spoon. 
13. Allow the chocolate filling and graham cracker crust to chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. 
14. Scatter the shredded coconut evenly over the chocolate, pressing the flakes in gently. 
15. Refrigerate the bars for 3-4 hours, until they are firm. To serve, lift the foil from the pan and cut into small squares. 


These bars represent the perfect balance between sweet and savory. The semi-sweet chocolate filling compliments the coconut perfectly and the graham cracker crust provides a delectable crunch. The recipe requires no baking experience and cleanup is a breeze. Enjoy!