Ayurvedic Recipe: Pomegranate Orange Chip Bars

The merger of chocolaty, chewy goodness with heart-healthy oats and pomegranate created this divine bar—a taste of bliss in every bite. All doshas should eat it in moderation. This recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, and vegetarian.

Ingredients:

Makes 16 bars

• ½ cup coconut sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
• ¾ cup almond butter
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate syrup
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ cups quick-cooking gluten-free rolled oats
• ¼ cup gluten-free dark chocolate chunks (70% to 85% cacao)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, orange zest, salt, almond butter, butter, and pomegranate syrup. Stir in egg. The batter will be very thick and oily. Stir in baking soda. Stir in oats and chocolate chunks until well incorporated. Spoon into prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes or until the edges just start to brown. (If the entire top is brown, the bars are overcooked and will be very dry. The dough should be soft coming out of the oven.) Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then cut into bars and transfer bars to the rack to cool completely.

Good for vata, pitta, and kapha. Eat in moderation and share with friends!

Variations:

1. Substitute white chocolate chunks in place of the dark chocolate.
2. Substitute lemon zest in place of the orange zest.
3. You can also use this batter to make 1 dozen cookies. At the end of step 1, form batter into 12 equal balls. Gently press onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, placing them ½ inch apart. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until the edges are starting to brown. The cookies will be soft coming out of the oven but will firm up as they cool on a wire rack.

Tips:

Store the squares in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

The batter can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Recipe courtesy of The Essential Ayurvedic Cookbook by Lois Leonhardi © 2015 www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with publisher permission. Available where books are sold.