Paleo Baking

Fruit and Nut Bars

About 13 days into strict Paleo, I started twitching. It wasn't because of a craving for something to eat, but for something to bake. I am an avid baker and just cooking really doesn't do it for me. That's why I'm in a mixed marriage: he cooks, I bake. These bars originally called for vanilla and honey, but I can't have that during "Whole30", so I adapted it to me. We ate the 8x8 pan in two days. There may or may not have been grunting involved.

adapted from Primal Nut Bars, The Caveman Cafe

Ingredients:

1 c slivered almonds

1 c walnuts

1/2 c coconut flour

1/2 c unsweetened dried coconut

1/2 c almond butter

1/2 c coconut oil

1/4 c fresh squeezed orange juice

zest of one orange

1/4 tsp salt

1 c dried fruit, like raisins or cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350° and toast the nuts until golden brown. Watch carefully, they'll burn fast. Once they're cooled off, process them until they are coarse meal. Stir them together with the coconut flour in a medium bowl.

Combine the almond butter and coconut oil and heat in microwave until smooth (about 30 seconds). Add the orange juice, zest, salt and mix until creamy. Fold in the nut mix and then add the fruit. Spread and pat into an 8x8 dish and chill for at least 1 hour until set. Cut into squares and serve. Store in the refrigerator.