Paleo Raspberry Almond Bars

I am pretty sure I recently hit the paleo jackpot.

Before you get all “why are you paleo? you’re pregnant!” on me, let me take this moment to tell you I try to eat 80% paleo. But I can’t always cut out dairy because it’s the easiest source of calcium, which a growing momma and baby need, and some days I really need some grains to fill me up. So, I should say…I’m 80% paleo because I need my Chobani yogurt and Ezekiel bread. Also, I’m not about to turn down pizza or some fro yo. Just sayin’.

But lately I’ve had a lot of fun trying out new paleo dessert recipes for me and the mister. I feel better about eating them because they are way healthier (for me AND baby!), which means that whole guilt trip feeling is gone. Plus, they are made with all natural ingredients and no artifical sugar. Which again, me likey for the little babers growing inside of me.

This recipe I recently tried is seriously paleo heaven. I mean, this girl could devour the whole pan if I had no will power whatsoever. Added bonus? It’s gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan for all my diet restricted homies out there.

Paleo Raspberry Almond Bars (taken from The Detoxinista)
Makes one 8×8″ pan.
Total time: about 1 hour.

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups almond flour or almond meal
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon water
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Filling:

• 10 oz. bag of frozen raspberries
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumb Topping:

• 1 cup walnuts
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

• Prepare the raspberry filling by heating the ½ cup maple syrup in a 1½-quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring the maple syrup to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the frozen raspberries and vanilla extract, and bring to a simmer again, allowing the mixture to cook for 15 minutes, until thick. (Do not cook for longer than 15 minutes, or the pectin will break down and the sauce will not thicken properly.) Remove from the heat, and transfer to a glass jar to chill in the fridge while you prepare the crust.
• For the crust, preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8″ x 8″ baking dish with parchment paper, to prevent sticking. Combine all of the crust ingredients in a food processor, and process until the dough sticks together. Press the dough into the bottom of the baking sheet, and bake for 12 minutes at 350F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
• Prepare the crumbly topping by combining the walnuts, coconut, maple syrup, coconut oil, sea salt and almond extract in a food processor, and process until sticky and crumbly, but still coarse in texture.
• Arrange the bars by spreading the raspberry filling over the crust, then spreading the crumbly topping over the raspberry layer. Return to the oven for 15 minutes at 350F, or until the topping is lightly golden.
• Allow to cool completely before cutting and serving. For best shelf life, store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a week.

Note: For best results, allow the raspberry filling to cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours before topping the crust. (I couldn’t wait that long, so I put mine in the freezer while I was baking my crust and prepping my crumble topping 🙂 )