Tropical Trail Bars Without Oil or Sugar

Summer is almost here! If you've been starting to crave the tropical summer flavors, like mango, pineapple, and coconut, which are reminiscent of sunny days and time at the beach, then you'll enjoy these treats!

These Tropical Trail Bars, made with only nutritious whole foods, are a delicious and nutritious snack or dessert.

There's no refined sugar, refined oils, salt, dairy or gluten in this recipe. How many sweet treats can boast that?

Granola bars, breakfast bars, energy bars, and snack bars are commonly thought of as a "healthy" snack. However, most of these bars contain sweeteners, like sugar, corn syrup, brown rice syrup, fructose, and maltodextrin. Even the bars that specifically advertised as being healthier or more natural options will usually still contain sweeteners like honey, molasses, agave, or organic evaporated cane juice.

Fortunately, we know that not all sugar is created equal.

Highly processed sugar leads to crashes in energy and emotional instability.

Conversely, the sweetness found in nature, which comes from unprocessed sugar in fruit creates a healthy boost in our energy and strengthens our immune system.

So, thank you bananas, pineapple, and mango. These whole foods have the wonderfully sweet, and they're good to our bodies.

These bars are loaded with flavor and texture. In addition to sweetness, the dried pineapple and mango add a hint of tartness, while providing a delightfully chewy texture. Shredded coconut gives a tropical, nutty flavor and a nice textural contrast to the soft, chewy oats. To top it off, we added a bit of warming spice to balance all of the cooling fruits.

Try making these before going on your next summer adventure! They are easy to pack and travel with - an excellent choice for camping, hiking, road trips, or anytime you're on-the-go.

Tropical Trail Bars Without Oil or Sugar

By Chef Katie Mae

Makes 12 bars | Ready in 40 minutes | Stores 3 days at room temp

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ tablespoon ground flax seeds
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1½ cups rolled oats
• ¾ cup diced dried mango or pineapple (a combo is recommended)
• ¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (or chopped walnuts)
• 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 ripe bananas

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
   Combine the ground flax seeds and water in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes to let the flax become gelatinous.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the rolled oats, dried fruit, coconut, ginger, and cinnamon.
3. Add the lime juice, banana, and flax mixture. Use a fork, or better yet, clean hands to mash the banana and mix everything together until the batter has a moist, even consistency.
4. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Bake for 30 minutes. The bars should be nicely toasted with a golden color. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or store in an airtight container to enjoy later.