Sylvie Roy from Cheeriolala.com has some pretty incredible paleo recipes so I asked if she could share one with us.
With two little ones two and under at home, it’s no secret that I rely on freezer cooking to feed my family healthy meals. And to keep me sane too! Of all the easy paleo recipes I make, my recipe for Paleo Coconut Pecan Breakfast Bars is a favorite for a few reasons.
For starters, my Paleo Coconut Pecan Breakfast bars are super quick and easy to whip up whether you want to serve them right away or freeze them for those extra crazy mornings where you need to just grab something and go. They’re also gluten, grain and dairy free which makes it great for people with sensitivities.
Paleo Coconut Pecan Breakfast Bars
Printable Recipe
INGREDIENTS
What I love most about them though is how delicious they are! They double as a great afternoon snack for those rare mama coffee breaks in the afternoon – you know, when the planets align on a full moon and both kids are napping at the same time. Yes, those moments definitely need to be celebrated, and luckily, I usually have the perfect little something waiting for me in my freezer.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE EASY FREEZER RECIPES?
Do you plan breakfast or any other meals ahead of time and freeze them? If so, what are your favorite ideas to make healthy eating a little bit easier on busy days?
There have been quite a few questions coming in, so I thought I would get to some of them here to help everyone get these made super quick!
SUBSTITUTIONS
Coconut Milk: any type of coconut milk will do. If you are really strict paleo, just look through the ingredients for any additives you might not want in there. Canned, carton or homemade is all good! If you don’t have any coconut milk, you can use any other type of milk (almond, rice, hemp etc… or cow or goat if you’re not bothered that they aren’t paleo). If you were really stuck, you could even use a bit of water just to get the batter to the right consistency.
One reader asked about leftover coconut milk. I know, I hate opening a whole can when I just need a tiny bit! You can use it in tea, smoothies, and soups but if you can’t use it up within a few days to a week, you can also freeze it in an ice cube tray and just pop one out next time you want to make a recipe that calls for a tiny amount.
Eggs: The eggs are what binds the mixture together, so if you can’t use them, you can try an egg replacement that you normally would use in baking. I’ve heard of a flax seed substitute, and one reader suggested gelatin. I haven’t tried any of these myself, but if the bars don’t turn out super solid, it’s not a waste – you could always serve them crumbled over a bowl of fruit!
Banana: the banana is there for a bit of sweetness and also helps bind the mixture. Again, I have never made these without them, but someone suggested using sweet potato, which I think might work. I had mentioned zucchini in the comments below, which might work too, but you may want to add a touch more honey if you try that just to get a bit more sweetness in.
Honey: you can sub in maple syrup or agave, or even omit it altogether. If you do omit it, be warned that the bars will not be particularly sweet and that you may need to use a bit less coconut flour (I would try 1/4 cup).
Vanilla: this is optional and you can omit it.
Coconut flour: I know some people have said that they’ve never heard of it or tried it. I buy it at my local bulk store and can sometimes find it in the organic/gluten free specialty section of the supermarket. It’s the only flour I have tried with this recipe, but I think that you could safely substitute a nut flour instead and they would turn out ok. Again, if they are little too hard or soft, crumble them over some fruit and you can salvage them!
Shredded coconut: this one is a deal breaker. You need the coconut! If you decide to use sweetened instead (shhh! I won’t tell the paleo bosses if you do!) you might just want to cut the honey in half. Or not. Depends if you like things really sweet.
Pecans: totally optional, but man, are they good! You could definitely substitute other nuts.
STORAGE
You can for sure store them in the fridge or on the counter in a container for a few days. They normally don’t last that long at my place!
OTHER FLAVORS
YES! Have fun and try new things! People have reported that chocolate chips are excellent in these (chocolate chips are always excellent!) and that cinnamon is nice too, as are berries. I have personally made variations that include apple cinnamon, chocolate zucchini, and lemon, and I would love to hear about others you have tried or might like me to create.
With two little ones two and under at home, it’s no secret that I rely on freezer cooking to feed my family healthy meals. And to keep me sane too! Of all the easy paleo recipes I make, my recipe for Paleo Coconut Pecan Breakfast Bars is a favorite for a few reasons.
For starters, my Paleo Coconut Pecan Breakfast bars are super quick and easy to whip up whether you want to serve them right away or freeze them for those extra crazy mornings where you need to just grab something and go. They’re also gluten, grain and dairy free which makes it great for people with sensitivities.
Paleo Coconut Pecan Breakfast Bars
Printable Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- Coconut oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 banana
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 4 Tbsp coconut milk
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use the coconut oil to grease an 8x8 pan.
- Crack your eggs into a medium sized bowl and quickly whisk them up.
- Mash your banana - I like to just do this quickly on a plate - add to the bowl with the eggs along with the honey and vanilla.
- Measure and add your coconut flour, making sure to combine everything well and ensuring there are no clumps.
- Measure and add the unsweetened shredded coconut and coconut milk and mix to ensure the batter is well combined.
- Spoon the batter into your pan and smooth it out. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over top.
- Bake your bars in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on them - when the edges are golden brown and the center is firm, they're done!
- Freezing these is a cinch too! Simply wait for them to cool, cut them to the desired size and store them in a freezer container or freezer bag. I tend to try to do this as soon as I can - if they stay on the kitchen counter, they tend to disappear quickly!
- You can defrost them quickly by popping them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. If you're like my hubby and are not a fan of the microwave, you can pull out a few the night before and just leave them in the fridge and they'll be defrosted by breakfast the next morning.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE EASY FREEZER RECIPES?
Do you plan breakfast or any other meals ahead of time and freeze them? If so, what are your favorite ideas to make healthy eating a little bit easier on busy days?
There have been quite a few questions coming in, so I thought I would get to some of them here to help everyone get these made super quick!
SUBSTITUTIONS
Coconut Milk: any type of coconut milk will do. If you are really strict paleo, just look through the ingredients for any additives you might not want in there. Canned, carton or homemade is all good! If you don’t have any coconut milk, you can use any other type of milk (almond, rice, hemp etc… or cow or goat if you’re not bothered that they aren’t paleo). If you were really stuck, you could even use a bit of water just to get the batter to the right consistency.
One reader asked about leftover coconut milk. I know, I hate opening a whole can when I just need a tiny bit! You can use it in tea, smoothies, and soups but if you can’t use it up within a few days to a week, you can also freeze it in an ice cube tray and just pop one out next time you want to make a recipe that calls for a tiny amount.
Eggs: The eggs are what binds the mixture together, so if you can’t use them, you can try an egg replacement that you normally would use in baking. I’ve heard of a flax seed substitute, and one reader suggested gelatin. I haven’t tried any of these myself, but if the bars don’t turn out super solid, it’s not a waste – you could always serve them crumbled over a bowl of fruit!
Banana: the banana is there for a bit of sweetness and also helps bind the mixture. Again, I have never made these without them, but someone suggested using sweet potato, which I think might work. I had mentioned zucchini in the comments below, which might work too, but you may want to add a touch more honey if you try that just to get a bit more sweetness in.
Honey: you can sub in maple syrup or agave, or even omit it altogether. If you do omit it, be warned that the bars will not be particularly sweet and that you may need to use a bit less coconut flour (I would try 1/4 cup).
Vanilla: this is optional and you can omit it.
Coconut flour: I know some people have said that they’ve never heard of it or tried it. I buy it at my local bulk store and can sometimes find it in the organic/gluten free specialty section of the supermarket. It’s the only flour I have tried with this recipe, but I think that you could safely substitute a nut flour instead and they would turn out ok. Again, if they are little too hard or soft, crumble them over some fruit and you can salvage them!
Shredded coconut: this one is a deal breaker. You need the coconut! If you decide to use sweetened instead (shhh! I won’t tell the paleo bosses if you do!) you might just want to cut the honey in half. Or not. Depends if you like things really sweet.
Pecans: totally optional, but man, are they good! You could definitely substitute other nuts.
STORAGE
You can for sure store them in the fridge or on the counter in a container for a few days. They normally don’t last that long at my place!
OTHER FLAVORS
YES! Have fun and try new things! People have reported that chocolate chips are excellent in these (chocolate chips are always excellent!) and that cinnamon is nice too, as are berries. I have personally made variations that include apple cinnamon, chocolate zucchini, and lemon, and I would love to hear about others you have tried or might like me to create.