Sweet Potato Bars
Makes about 16 Pieces | Prep Time 15 minutes | Cook Time 30 minutes
These Sweet Potato bars remind me of a healthier version of the lemon bars I used to make as a kid. Probably because this is a treat any youngster would like, a great combination of a vegetable-based sweet snack and a nutty, gluten-free crust. Sweet Potatoes and cinnamon have great anti-oxidant and blood sugar regulating capacity, making them a great anytime bar. They’re so nutrient dense it doesn’t take much to feel completely satiated, and the tastes are so delightful that you’re blissfully aware of every bite.
Prepare ahead: Leave yourself 2 hours for these yummy bars to chill before cutting and eating.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Prick the yams all over with a fork and bake for about 35 to 45 minutes or until they are very soft. Allow them to cool.
Lightly oil an 8-inch square-baking pan. Place the oats, salt, cinnamon, pistachio nuts, pecans, teff four and orange zest in a food processor bowl with a fitted metal blade. Pulse until the ingredients are like a coarse meal. Add the maple syrup and olive oil and continue to pulse until all the ingredients are evenly moist, but still crumbly looking. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it evenly and firmly into the bottom. Bake the crust for 15 minutes or until set. Remove from oven, but keep it on.
Meanwhile, peel the yam and mash the flesh. Measure 1 1/2 cups of mashed yam, and place into the food processor bowl. Add the maple syrup, orange zest, cardamom, ginger, yogurt, and eggs and process until smooth. Pour the mixture onto the crust and smooth the top evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle with nutmeg and bake about 25 minutes or until the filling is set and just beginning to pull from the sides of pan. Allow to completely on a rack. Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Cut into16 squares.
COOK'S NOTE: Teff is gluten free flour. Technically, oats are gluten free, however, they are subject to cross contamination. If you’re extremely sensitive to gluten I recommend using Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats.
PER SERVING: (2 bars per serving) Calories: 120; Total Fat: 5 g (1 g saturated, 2 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 16 g; Protein: 3 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sodium: 55 mg
STORAGE: Store refrigerated in airtight container for 4 days. Freeze tightly wrapped for 2 months.
Reprinted with permission from The Longevity Kitchen: Satisfying Big-Flavor Recipes Featuring the Top 16 Age-Busting Power Foods Copyright © 2013 by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson, Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA.
Ingredients
Crust
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted pistachio nuts
1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup teff flour
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons Grade A Dark Amber maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sweet Potato Layer
1 pound garnet yams or orange fleshed sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons Grade A Dark Amber maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup plain organic yogurt
2 large eggs
freshly grated nutmeg