Craving a yummy snack that’s super portable and full of nutrients? This is it!
These Carrot Cake Warrior Bars are a variation on one of our team’s all-time favorite Fresh Start (spring) snacks. Thanks to the almond meal, pepitas, and sunflower seeds, this recipe is packed with plant-based protein, and actually tastes very much like carrot cake! These bars are delicious as is, but are also fabulous warmed up with a little almond butter on top.
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These hearty bars are perfect for snacking on the go. Not only is this recipe packed with plant-based protein, but they really are reminiscent of carrot cake!
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp chia seeds (plus 6 tbsp water)
- 1 cup almond meal
- 1 cup gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 cup grated apple
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
- 1/3 cup pepitas
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup mashed banana
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Place chia seeds and water in a small bowl. Stir well and let stand for 5-10 minutes until a gel forms. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine almond meal, oats, grated carrots and apple, coconut flakes, pepitas, sunflower seeds, and sliced almonds.
- In a medium bowl, stir together mashed banana, applesauce, vanilla extract, spices, and sea salt. Stir in the chia gel.
- Add the banana chia mixture to the bowl with the other ingredients. Stir well. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Smooth the top. Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden around the edges and baked through. Let cool completely, then cut into bars.
Notes
Bars will hold together best if baked long enough and cooled to room temperature or chilled before cutting into bars.
Ready for 21 days of delicious, plant-powered meals?
October 29th, 2017 at 4:00 pm
These look good! Going to have to try them. Is almond meal about the same as almond flour?
November 1st, 2017 at 12:46 pm
Hi Hope,
There’s so yummy! And yes, almond flour + almond meal can be used interchangeably.
October 31st, 2017 at 7:53 pm
I made these today and they are delicious! Really do taste like carrot cake!
★★★★★
April 16th, 2018 at 9:34 am
KALE YEAH!
April 12th, 2018 at 9:42 am
Hi! Do you have any recommendations or n what I could replace the almond products with? I’m allergic to almonds 🙁
April 16th, 2018 at 9:37 am
Hi Jillian,
Allergic to almonds, I’ve got you covered! Swap out almond meal, for oat flour. And leave the sliced almonds out, and instead add an additional 1/3 cup of sunflower seeds or pepitas.
May 1st, 2018 at 5:43 pm
Hi, do you use raw or roasted pepitas and sunflower seeds?
May 9th, 2018 at 12:45 pm
Hi Cynthia,
We use raw nuts and seeds throughout the cleanse for this recipe – but roasted would probably be delicious too!
May 9th, 2018 at 2:15 pm
This recipes makes so much! It is very good though, not quite carrot cake but almost.
May 9th, 2018 at 3:00 pm
I love this recipe! I even eat for breakfast with my tea or tonic water. The fact that it’s super healthy and taste delicious makes it my number one go to snack. Thanks for sharing this recipe
May 10th, 2018 at 11:15 am
This is a great recipe and I can see this being the “go to” bar to pack for the fam on long hikes. It’s really good and although yes, it’s not the “same” as carrot cake, it plays a close second with way more health, nutrition, and life force energy. I would think that making a little of the cashew cream and putting a little dollop on top with a side of fruit would make this very decadent indeed. I made an extra batch for my mom who’s diabetic and she loved them!
April 4th, 2019 at 10:11 am
What are the macros for this recipe?
April 4th, 2019 at 2:54 pm
Hey Jeremy,
We personally don’t count calories, so we don’t include them in our recipes at this time. You’ll find that when you consume more nourishing whole fruits and veggies, you will not only feel full longer, but you’ll also have lessened cravings for high-calorie, nutritionally empty foods. So in the end it balances out. But we know many people would like to have calorie info. Three great resources for tracking calories are Self Nutrition Data, and the phone apps: My Fitness Pal and Lose It.
April 4th, 2019 at 11:55 am
I don’t see the nutrients broken down anywhere for this recipe. How many carbs, etc…?
April 4th, 2019 at 2:52 pm
Hey Kris,
We personally don’t count calories, so we don’t include them in our recipes at this time. You’ll find that when you consume more nourishing whole fruits and veggies, you will not only feel full longer, but you’ll also have lessened cravings for high-calorie, nutritionally empty foods. So in the end it balances out. But we know many people would like to have calorie info. Three great resources for tracking calories are Self Nutrition Data, and the phone apps: My Fitness Pal and Lose It.
May 2nd, 2019 at 5:45 pm
Question – I have looked everywhere for almond meal and cannot find it – can I use almond flour? Would I use the same amount (1 Cup) if I used almond flour?
May 3rd, 2019 at 12:06 pm
Hey Sue,
Yes almond four is pretty much the same thing as almond meal. The only difference is almond meal can be blanched or unblanched (skins removed) where as almond flour is always blanched.
Hope that helps!
May 3rd, 2019 at 2:58 pm
Thanks so much for your quick reply. I will be making them this weekend.