No-Bake Almond Butter + Strawberry Jam Breakfast Bars
These no-bake vegan, gluten-free bars are an updated, breakfast-friendly, oil-free remix of these no-bake cherry chia crumble bars. They're packed with dietary fiber, protein, potassium, manganese, copper, Vitamin E, and blood-sugar balancing biotin. They do contain a small amount of coconut sugar (about ⅓ cup total) and pure maple syrup (2 tablespoons). If that's not your breakfast jam (pun unintended), opt to enjoy them as a subtly sweet snack or feel-good dessert instead.The no-bake almond butter crust is made by pulsing together a combination of ground rolled oats and raw almonds, almond butter, dates, coconut sugar, and sea salt. Unlike most no-bake crusts, which tend to be dense and chewy, this crust is sturdy yet light. Plus, its flavor reminds me of graham cracker crust. A win-win. It's topped with a naturally sweetened strawberry chia jam.
½cupnatural unsalted almond butter (thoroughly stirred before measuring)
½cuppitted and packed medjool dates (about 6 large dates)
¼cupcoconut sugar
½teaspoonfine grain sea salt
Strawberry Jam
1pound (453g)frozen strawberries
2tablespoonsfiltered water
2tablespoonspure maple syrup or to taste
1tablespoonground chia seed*
Almond Butter Crumble Topping
⅓cupraw almonds
⅓cupold-fashioned rolled oats
2tablespoonscoconut sugar
2tablespoonsnatural almond butter
¼teaspoonfine grain sea salt
Instructions
No-Bake Almond Butter + Oat Crust
Line a 9x9-inch square pan with parchment paper or use a 9x9-inch silicon pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseed and water. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
Add the almonds and rolled oats to a food processor and process for 15 to 20 seconds, or until a coarse meal forms.
Then, add the flaxseed mixture, almond butter, dates, coconut sugar, and sea salt, and process for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture begins to clump together and hold its form against the wall of the food processor. It should be sticky enough that it holds together well when pressed between your fingers but is able to easily crumble back to its original form. If it isn't sticking together when pressed, add more pitted dates, 1 at a time, and continue to process until it holds together as described.
Scoop the crust mixture into the lined pan and use your hands to press it evenly into the bottom. Then, use the back of a large metal spatula (see above photos) to press and firmly compact into a smooth, even surface.
Freeze for 30 minutes to set.
Strawberry Jam
Meanwhile, prepare the strawberry jam. In a medium saucepan, stir together the frozen strawberries, water, and maple syrup over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, for 12 minutes, or until the strawberries begin to break down into a sauce, stirring occasionally. If needed, reduce the heat to low during the last few minutes of cooking to prevent scorching.
Turn off the heat and use the back of a fork to thoroughly mash any remaining pieces of fruit. Then, stir in the ground chia seed, turn the heat on low, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer to the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to cool slightly**. Set aside.
Almond Butter Crumble Topping
While the strawberry jam is simmering, make the crumble topping. Add the almonds to a food processor and process for 1 minute, or until ground into a fine meal.
Transfer to a small mixing bowl and add the rolled oats, coconut sugar, almond butter, and sea salt. Use the back of a fork to mash the almond butter into the other ingredients until thoroughly combined into medium-size crumbles (see above photos).
To Assemble
Spoon the strawberry jam over the crust and use a spatula to gently smooth into an even layer. Then, sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the surface and use a spatula to gently pat the topping down to compact it a bit.
Freeze for 1 hour, or until set well enough to slice.
Grasp the edges of the parchment paper and carefully lift the entire bar out of the pan (see ***notes for tips if using a silicon pan). Place on a cutting board and slice into 12 to 16 bars.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
*Use a coffee grinder or high-speed blender (e.g., Vitamix, Blendtec) to grind your own chia seed. Add about ¼ up whole chia seed and grind or blend for 15 to 30 seconds, or until ground into a fine powder.**If the filling is too thick after cooling, add more filtered water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired texture is reached. If the filling is too thin after cooling, add in more ground chia seed, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired texture is reached.***If you're using a silicon pan, run a knife along the edges to separate the sides of the bar from the pan. Then, very carefully pop the bar out, peeling the pan away from it, and transfer to a cutting board. If you're having trouble removing the entire bar, then simply slice it while in the pan and remove the individual bars.