LEMON CRISPY BARS

I was missing my Nanna this week. She used to be the most incredible cook. Everything was made with love and from scratch. I love how our senses can act like a teleport back to our favourite memories. I think of my nanna when I hear Patsy Cline, when I smell musky vanilla perfume, when I see blue wrens, and when I taste lemon butter, because she made the most incredible lemon butter!

This week I wanted to feel close to her, so I created this recipe for Lemon Crispy Bars…everything from scratch, everything with love, and would you know it, like magic, they took me back to the days in her kitchen, licking lemon butter off of the spoon, hearing her whistling songs as she always did, the sound of joy an ingredient all of its own.

It might be a little while till I can see her again, but I know that I can always find her close by, because someone that special leaves an imprint on your senses that you will always remember by heart.

I hope this recipe brings your tastebuds as much joy as it did mine! I think Nanna would’ve been proud of this one!


LEMON CRISPY BARS

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 1/2 cups of puffed buckwheat

  • 6 large medijool dates deseeded

  • 1 cup macadamias

  • 1 Tbsp Vanilla Protein Powder (Optional protein and flavour extra. I used Locako Keto Collagen Vanilla Flavour)

  • 1/4 cup raw honey

  • 80g grass fed organic butter

  • 1 tbsp vanilla powder or extract

  • 2 tbsp chia seeds

  • 1 tbsp hemp seeds

  • 1/2 cup pepita seeds

  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

  • 1/2 cup desiccated coconut

  • Juice of 1 lemon

  • Rind of 2 lemons

  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

  • Pinch of salt

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

  2. Place macadamias in a small bowl and soak them in boiling hot water while you prepare the dry ingredients to soften them.

  3. Place puffed buckwheat, collagen, cinnamon, vanilla powder (if you used powder, if not add extract to wet ingredients), vanilla protein (if you chose to add it), chia, pepita, hemp and sunflower seeds, and coconut to a large mixing bowl. Mix together and set aside.

  4. Add the butter to a small saucepan on medium heat on the stovetop. Once melted remove and set aside while preparing the macadamias.

  5. In a high powered food processor or thermomix blitz the macadamias to a nut butter consistency.

  6. Scrape the sides down before adding the medijool dates, melted butter, honey, lemon juice, lemon rind and salt to the food processor. Blitz on high until you have formed a thick paste consistency.

  7. Add the paste to the dry ingredients bowl. Mix ingredients together thoroughly until you have a sticky dough type consistency.

  8. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spoon mixture into the tray. Smooth and press down with the back of a table spoon.

  9. Put into the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top. Allow to cool before placing in the fridge to set. Once set you can cut into bars ready to enjoy:) This recipe will also work for bliss balls, just roll into balls and roll in some coconut before placing into the fridge if doing bliss balls.

Danae Cornford