Paleo Cocoa Mango Bars

I've been thinking about the upcoming 2014 Crossfit Open and then Regionals. Have you? Have you registered? Are you making your food plan as important a component as you should? I believe that real foods make a huge difference in your immune systems and your health.

Yesterday, I made these bars and they are very good. I've been experimenting with Vitacost brand Organic Sliced Mango. I've used it in my Paleo Island Crunch, and we all love it right out of the bag, but I knew it needed to take center-stage in a bar. Here's what I did:

I covered a 9 x 12 baking pan with aluminum foil and then rubbed coconut oil on that.

In a large bowl I stirred these ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup unblanched almond flour ( the kind with the hull still on when they grind it - nutrients!)
1/2 cup chocolate protein
2 TBSP cocoa
1 TBSP cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt

In small bowl I stirred the the wet ingredients:
1 egg
1/4 cup canned organic coconut milk
1 cup pumpkin (applesauce works, too)
1/4 cup raw honey, warmed just to a liquid
2 TBSP almond butter

Next, I stirred the wet ingredient mixture into the dry.

I added:
1/2 cup organic sunflower seeds
1/2 cup organic  pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup organic raisins
1/2 cup dried mango (I stack 3 or fours slices cut them into bite-sized pieces with scissors)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut ( I always buy the big chunky coconut "chips")

I stirred that all up and spread it out in the prepared pan.

I baked these bars in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes.
(We tried to let them cool before we cut them and ate them....)

             Here's a Throwback from Central East Regionals 2013 - we can't wait for 2014!
                            (photo from Kerry)