If there is one thing in how to help your digestive system it is to figure out what is causing the digestive issues. When it comes to gut cramping and rushing to the bathroom it’s usually a bad burrito and clears up in a few days on its own, but when the bowels howl longer than normal something needs more attention. In my own personal experience with IBD (Intestinal Bowel Disease) over the years and with hours upon hours of research, I’ve found 10 major triggers that can set people off. If I had known these triggers earlier, I would have healed a lot faster. My hope is that this post will save you a lot of time and frustration. Let’s take a look at what might be triggering your lingering symptoms so you can get on the right intestinal track.
Step 1 in how to help your digestive system
Ever since I started to talk about my own digestive distress, more and more people have opened up to me about theirs. Let’s face it, talking about cramps and diarrhea is not something people want to talk about, but these things DO need to be talked about. A huge part of healing is understanding what’s going on and why. Knowing this, not only gives you peace of mind, but a solid direction to focus on in your healing journey. Discovering your cause can be a frustrating maze but it could be as simple as asking around and doing some research. You never know what someone is going to say that could be your ticket to healing.
Let me reiterate that when people are silent about their chronic digestive system it is only going to make them worse. What ends up happening is despair, loss of hope, loneliness, and settling with chronic misery. Self-confidence goes down the drain and limitations in physical activity and social outings go on the wayside. You do not deserve to live like this!
Listen up, this is super important
Another thing about “ignoring’ this issue is that if left untreated, it will lead to other misery down the road; for instance, vitamin absorption problems, depression, stress, hair thinning, and more. I’ve been there, done that, with tears and frustration and a sink full of hair. There is nothing worse than not understanding what is going on and if you’ll ever get better! So please, listen to how to help your digestive system if you want to get better.
I HIGHLY recommend reading the “Triggers and What to do for IBD: How to Identify and Heal for Good” ebook. I wish I had this information when I was having problems. This book would have saved me LOADS of time and frustration. Download, read, and heal. It’s a quick read packed with answers that will help you.
Encouragement Coaching Moment
First off, you will get better. If you want it bad enough, you will go into remission and will live a life of no more cramping, no more rushing to the bathroom, and no more uncertainty. The work it takes to heal is totally worth it. It is possible to manage this thing without having to take any pharmaceuticals! The body will heal if you help it.
My journey has been quite a road. I am not a doctor or gastroenterologist, but I have experienced firsthand what it’s like to carry colitis and all that goes with it. With an un-relentless drive to figure it out, I’ve tried many different treatments and have spent hours and hours researching (probably too much time) to get to the bottom of my imbalance. After all, when something isn’t right, things aren’t aligned. So this bullcrap all starts with what threw you off in the first place.
How to help your digestive system starts with questions.
Ask yourself the following questions and maybe even jot down your answers on a piece of paper. I have kept a “digestive journey” journal where I write down my flares, what might have happened before it, and what I tried to manage it. Answer these questions to help you figure your digestive issues out.
Was I recently sick? Stomach bug? Food poisoning? Bacteria infection?
What are my hormones doing?
Did I eat something funny? Eat too much of something? Eat the same thing every day?
Have I been taking NSAIDs (ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc) regularly?
Has my gallbladder been acting up? Do I still have my gallbladder?
What has my stress level been these days?
What exactly am I eating every day?
Is my back out of whack?
Answering these questions might help you get on the right track from the get-go. It’s important to go over these things with your doctor or functional doctor before diving into a treatment plan.
A closer look at digestive triggers
Let’s take a closer look at what could be the cause of your cramps, bloating, diarrhea, loose stools, and stinky gas. When you have a flare, it is usually caused by a trigger. For instance, when I get a flare I can usually figure out what brought it on. Most of the time it was something I ate. But other times it’s been hormones, stress, or even a change in weather or time zones. The body is so amazing when it comes to healing; it wants to be aligned and working as it should. When it’s not, it tells you through pain or digestive distress. Let’s look at a few things that could be causing the alarms to go off.
Again, I’m not a doctor, nor am I trying to be. I share the information I have either experienced myself or am extremely interested in, and then I keep things simple and give you the nutshell version. This post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your physician before jumping into new things. This post is for information purposes only and to help you figure out what you might have going on.
IBS
What is IBS anyway? IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is simply an angry bowel. For instance, when I was a runner I would occasionally get really bad “poop cramps”, this is what IBS is, cramps out of the blue followed by urgency. With my story, the doctors first diagnosed me with IBS, since I knew what IBS was, I had a hard time respecting their diagnoses. Come to find out what I learned through the years is that if doctors can’t diagnose your digestive problem, they’ll usually say it’s IBS. When I went back to the doctor’s office I asked for a colonoscopy which gave us the real answer. So stick with your gut when you go to the doctor and ask a lot of questions; if they say it’s IBS, ask them why they think so.
Food sensitivities: dairy, gluten, eggs, soy, grains, white sugar, fructose.
Food sensitivities are HUGE triggers that lead to digestive system issues. The number one ‘problem food’ is dairy. So many people have issues with dairy; in fact, I heard everyone is a little sensitive to dairy. Lactose intolerance or sensitivity to whey or casein (a protein found in milk) are a few roadblocks to dairy digestion.
The second big one is gluten. Gluten is the protein found in wheat. People who have Celiac disease cannot have any gluten. Most people with digestive issues steer clear of gluten as well. This bugger is hard to digest and wreaks havoc on your innards. Talk about inflammation! It’s just not worth it folks.
Other popular food sensitivities and allergies are nuts, eggs, soy, white sugar, nightshades, and fructose.
How do you know if you have a food sensitivity?
Pay attention to how you feel after you consume it. Do you have a headache? Is your skin itchy or throat? Heartburn? Do you have gas cramps within an hour of eating? Dizzy? How about your nose, is it runny? What about severe congestion? Are you rushing to the bathroom?
Hormones: can’t live with them, can’t live without them.
This is a tough one to figure out. Do hormones play a factor in digestion? Women get a chance to pay close attention to our system every month (if we’re still menstruating). Both progesterone and prostaglandins can mess with your bowels. Even though prostaglandins focus on your uterus, they can also affect the colon that is nearby. Plus our friend, Progesterone, can pilot our trip to the bathroom more often.
On the flip side, when estrogen declines, cortisol rises which can slow the digestion process down and cause constipation…a.k.a. too little progesterone. Without the proper balance of estrogen and progesterone, your bowels get a bit confused.
Alignment
Who knew that a kink in your back could cause issues in digestion and elimination? The vertebrae in your spine are connected to nerves that send signals to the digestive system which includes the stomach and intestines. When the vertebrae are off or twisted this can affect those nerves and give you symptoms like bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and bladder issues. Before you head to the chiro, talk to your doctor or physical therapist.
A bug
There are some pesky bugs out there. Bacterial infections, viruses, and parasites, all of these cause inflammation. And when inflammation is present and not calmed down, irritation of the intestinal lining is sure to happen. E. coli, Guardia, Norovirus, and the stomach bug are the main culprits of diarrhea, not to mention vomiting. Yes, even though these are short-lived 1-7 days on average, they can mess up your gut flora and cause silent inflammation in your digestive tract.
How to help your digestive system? Reduce stress
Constant stress on the body and mind can be a doozy for your digestion. It can throw your whole system off! From muscle tightness, knots in your gut, to indigestion, stress can physically hurt you. One thing you can do right now in answering the question of how to help your digestive system is to learn some stress-relieving techniques.
Ibuprofen/Tylenol
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) like acetaminophen and ibuprofen if taken on a regular basis can actually cause inflammation in your intestines. Yep. Too much of a good thing can backfire. This is true for anything, even food! When inflammation is present, cramps and diarrhea are sure to show up.
Lack of probiotics and digestive enzymes
Sometimes our bodies need a little help getting back on track. Probiotics and/or digestive enzymes are here to save the day. Getting the right bugs in your gut makes a big difference in your digestive health; a game-changer for most folks. The hard part is figuring out what probiotics or digestive enzymes you’re lacking. This is especially important if you’ve been on a regimen of antibiotics. Antibiotics kill everything in your gut, so it’s important to get your gut back up and running as it should. Incorporating probiotics after your antibiotic treatment will help you bounce back a little quicker.
Depending on your condition, probiotics may need to be taken every day. They also help your immune system and even your skin.
If you have heartburn or stomach acid issues please read my post about stomach acid, it goes more in-depth about digestive enzymes and food combining, you will get a digestive enzyme chart as well!
Bile acid
This sounds kind of gross but excess bile acid from your digestive system can cause diarrhea. Bile acid diarrhea (BAD) or bile acid malabsorption (BAM) is what can cause that urgency, watery, and bloating feeling. Bile acids are produced by your good ole liver and stored in your gallbladder. Their job is to help break down fats to put it simply. For people who have had their gallbladder removed, you may experience a bit of diarrhea…at least now you know why. However, sometimes the body can get confused and cause large amounts of bile acids to exit into the large intestine, hence, diarrhea. Normally there is very little bile acid in the large intestine. I highly recommend you continue to investigate this; check out Verywellhealth.com for starters.
Yeast
Where do we start with yeast? Is it good or bad? Well, if you get too much of it, it can trigger diarrhea. Along with yeast-associated diarrhea, you may see other signs of too much yeast by looking at your tongue. If it has a white coat on it, you probably have more yeast than you need. You could also have sinus infections, fatigue, and skin fungal issues. The medical term for an overabundance of yeast is Candida. Check out Dr. Axe about Candida.
Histamine
Histamine is another big trigger. The nutshell about high histamine; as you age your DAO enzyme depletes. This DAO enzyme helps regulate histamine; it aids in breaking excess histamine down. When it depletes, it doesn’t work as well and histamine builds up in your system. As histamine increases in your body, you may experience digestive issues, itching, headaches, and sore joints to name a few.
Before you buy antihistamines, please know that antihistamines may work for stuffy noses, but they don’t usually work for diarrhea and low DAO enzymes. I’ve done the research.
What can help increase the DAO enzyme is vitamin C, P5P (the active form of vitamin B6), and magnesium citrate or glycinate. Also, it’s best to get into a rhythm of eating low-histamine foods and knowing your own personal limits. It takes about 2 weeks to get your histamine levels back to your baseline after you have changed your diet and have done your part to help your body. Again, I am not a doctor of any kind, this is what I’ve learned; always proceed with caution and talk to your doctor or functional doctor before trying anything new. I don’t know your body, diseases, or imbalances.
In conclusion: how to help your digestive system
WHEW! That was a lot to take in. But how to help your digestive system is no joke. From my personal experience, I wish I had this post in my hands when it all started in me. Again, I can’t tell you how many hours I researched diarrhea. I’ve probably clocked as many hours as a gastroenterologist. Anyway, healing is possible, but you must want it to happen. And if you really want it bad enough, you’ll be able to manage it without drugs and their nasty side effects. You got this. Healing takes time so keep moving forward. To help you get started in healing your gut I wrote this mini book: Triggers and What to Do for IBD: How to Identify and Heal for Good. It only takes a few minutes to read, but could contain your path to healing! Download it today and start reading!
Please note: talk to your doctor or find a functional doctor before you jump into anything new. If you want to go the natural way without prescriptions, I’ve had success with a functional doctor.
Every year we recognize Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday. Banks close. The Post Office closes. Public schools close. If you haven’t heard of Martin Luther King Jr. or haven’t understood his stand, he was the most visible spokesperson in the Civil Rights Movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. Dr. King believed in non-violence, he was determined, he knew his purpose, and he acted on it. He paved the way for peace. But what did my son say about it?
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
When my son was 7-year-old he HAD school on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. His school honors Dr. King by teaching the students about him…what better way to celebrate this day? His teachers explain what Dr. King was fighting for. The students experience his “I Have a Dream” speech. When my son first heard about this man he came home from school excited yet a little confused.
At dinner, our son started the conversation like this, “Guess what?”
“What?” we respond.
“Did you know… that some people had to go to different schools? They couldn’t ride the same bus or use the same bathroom because they were tan? That’s so weird.”
We respond, “Yeah, we know. Thankfully, it’s not like that anymore.”
I pause and ask. “Did you guys talk about Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech today?”
“Yeah.”
What happened in our neighborhood
For you to understand the next question I asked my son, you need to know that we live in a diverse neighborhood. Our neighbors come from all over the world; we exchange smiles, conversation, baked goods, a cry on a shoulder, and a helping hand. We look after each other and even pray for each other. Our next-door neighbors and our neighbors across the street are African-American.
“Honey?” I ask. “Do you know anyone who is “tan” which is also called “African-American” in our neighborhood?”
Our son says, “No.”
My husband and I look at each other and smile. I wink at him.
“It doesn’t matter what people look like, does it?” I ask.
Our son says, “No, that’s silly.”
“That’s what Dr. King was trying to tell the world,” I explain.
“Yep. He did a good job,” he says, then continues to eat his apple sauce.
If only we could be more like kids
What I took from this small yet huge conversation was that our son has lived seven years on this earth and hasn’t seen skin color. Children have this awesome power to look beyond the surface and see the heart. They are more concerned about how people make them feel, rather than what they look like.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
After this conversation, I was simply in awe of my son’s observations. And I hope and pray his views will continue as they are. Just remember, no matter how we were raised, it’s never too late to start looking at the world with the message Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to. You can make your own opinions and not be molded by what other influences tell you. Do more than exist, love all people the way you would like to be loved.
The combination of brats and bacon is amazing! Add them into a stew and you got yourself a hearty winter meal. This simple and tasty bacon stew is loaded with flavor. It might not be the leanest, but if you want to splurge on a cozy winter evening, this is a stew you should try!
As for nutrition for this stew, we’re getting protein from the brats and the bacon, we’re getting carbohydrates with the noodles or mashed potatoes we serve with it, and we’re getting a slew of vitamins with the add-ins.
Yams or sweet potatoes. There is a difference and you can use whichever one you want for this stew. As for yams, their nutrition label looks great. Yams are a great source of manganese, copper, and potassium. They have a little bit of folate and magnesium too. Yams are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin c. These orange tubers may help our brain function, ease symptoms of menopause, help manage blood sugar, and are a great alternative to white potatoes.
If you go the Butternut Squash route, it’s easy on digestion and has great flavor. This squash is a good source of calcium, potassium, vitamin A, E, folate, B-6. It helps lower blood pressure, cancer risk, and asthma. Butternut squash is also great for your hair, skin, and immune system.
Tools I love for this dish
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The number one tool for this dish is the trusty cast-iron pan. It gives the food an extra layer of flavor. Believe me, I’ve done a lot of research on what pan is the healthiest to cook with. One that won’t leach chemicals, aluminum, or Teflon into my food and the cast iron wins every time! It may be heavy, but it’s extremely low maintenance. In fact, if you’re anemic (iron deficient) it helps put a little iron in your system.
One more thing about the cast iron pan, it’s SUPER easy to clean, no soap required. Seriously, no soap, you’ll wreck the ‘seasoning’ of the pan. I highly recommend getting a cast iron pan, even if it’s the small one. You can find them on Amazon.
Other ingredients and variations
As for other ingredients, I recommend a leaf to two of basil, chopped fresh tomato, or chopped kale to give it some color and an extra nutrition boost.
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The piece that brings it all together for me is the olive oil. I use a little bit in the pan, and if I serve gluten-free Ramen noodles I add olive oil to the noodles with a dash of salt. I love the flavor it brings to each ingredient. My favorite, hands-down olive oil is California Ranch Olive Oil. It’s 100% olive oil. With that said, be sure you get an olive oil you trust is 100%. We don’t need no stinkin’ canola or vegetable oil fillers. I have more information on what oils are best here.
Chop the onion, celery, yams (or squash) and make sure they're ready to go.
Slice the brats into 1/4 inch slices (chuncks) with skins removed.
Slice the bacon into small 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch slices.
Put the 2 TBSP of olive oil in the saucepan or cast iron pan, turn on the burner to medium heat. Braise the brat slices.
When brats are halfway braised, add the bacon and cook lightly. Do not over cook the bacon so that it is crispy, we want the bacon flimsy. If you used a cast iron pan, transfer cooked brat slices and bacon sliced into a saucepan.
Add celery and onion and cook slightly. Stir while cooking.
Add the water and garlic powder and bring to a boil. You can add the yams at this time if you want, but I recommend adding them a little later since they are pre-cooked.
Once boiling, turn down to a simmer with a top on the pan but slightly cracked.
After 10 minutes, add the pre-cooked yam cubes or squash, along with a dash of black pepper, and add the wine (wine is optional).
Simmer for the remaning time, checking on it frequently. If it looks like it needs more water, add just a 1/2 cup at a time.
Allow to cool to your liking, serve over mashed potatoes, pasta, or Ramen noodles.
Notes
The calories are per serving, which is about 1 1/2 cups; this is an estimate and depends on the type of brats and bacon you choose to use. This dish is amazing with Ramen noodles and a side of spinach. Add some fresh tomatoes to give it some color, or a nice piece of garlic toast!
Check out my other simple and delicious recipes that your family will love. All are gluten-free and dairy-free!
Thanksgiving activities can be more than shopping, tree trimming, football, and food! There are loads of Thanksgiving activities can we do…for FREE! Let’s dive into 10 free activities you can do with your family. I personally love #6. Make this Thanksgiving memorial and fun!
1. Tell Jokes
Jokes can be pretty corny…get it…corny on Thanksgiving! See what I mean? Nothing gets the Thanksgiving table rolling or moaning other than a joke or two. Jokes for kids are great because they’ll probably understand it and join in on the laughs. Need some jokes? Download my Lunchbox Note Jokes! You can cut these up and put them in a hat, then pass them around the table.
2. Write out the things you’re thankful for
Take the time to write out all the things you are thankful for over this year. I know this sounds boring, but it will really help improve your mood and the room. For example, this year our family did a lot of camping. In years past, we would not have done that if it wasn’t for the pandemic, so I am very thankful for all the camping we did this Summer and Fall. At your meal with your family, go around the table and read some things off the list.
3. What’s your favorite thing about Thanksgiving weekend?
Ask your family members what they like best about the Thanksgiving weekend, is it eating turkey and napping? Christmas shopping? Watching football? Playing football? Decorating for Christmas? So on and so forth. THEN, make those things happen for them in a safe (germ conscience) way; for instance, shop online together instead of going to the store (this one might not be free). Remember everyone enjoys Thanksgiving a little differently, it’s not all about you.
4. Do a little history lesson
Reflect on the first Thanksgiving. Get back to your roots and read about how Thanksgiving came to be. Research together online and have everyone find some fun facts. The History.com site is a good place to start (minus the ads). For kids, check out Kids.NationalGeographic.com. For some Thanksgiving fun facts, Goodhousekeeping.com has a great list of 25 facts. It would be fun to talk about these during dinner or dessert!
5. Movie time!
Pop some popcorn and turn on the movies! Thanksgiving weekend is a great time to kick back and have family movie time. Write down some of your favorite flicks on scraps of paper, put them all in a hat, and have someone pull one out.
6. Bring on the games
Play charades using the Thanksgiving theme. Or bust out the board games. Depending on the age of your kids, embark on The Ultimate Scavenger Hunt Challenge this is perfect for tweens! I have a post where you can download the scavenger hunt challenge. It’s super fun for the entire family!
7. Turkey Trot
Do your own Turkey Trot. Lace up the running shoes and head outside. Make a common goal, like let’s go three miles. Make your gobble call and get running! Or walk. If you have little kids, simply go for a walk and play I Spy.
8. Bonfire!
Build a bonfire! In fact, the Thanksgiving fun facts would be fun to talk about around the fire.
9. Declutter. Thanksgiving Activities?
On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, while you’re digging out the Christmas decorations, declutter some closets to make room for gifts! This is a wonderful time to declutter and drop donations off at the local donation center. Here’s a post to help you out on how to simplify your stuff! You can find it here.
10. Crafts anyone?
Feeling crafty? Here is a super fun Thanksgiving activity for little ones. There are 40 ideas over at CountryLiving.com that you may want to check out.
I know that some of these free ideas are obvious, however, we all need a little remembering of what we can do. Let’s make the best of this Thanksgiving by doing what we can! What’s even better is that you saved a lot of money and miles on the car.
This is by far the BEST homemade gluten-free granola bar recipe EVER! These granola bars are actually healthy for you. There is no added sugar other than natural honey. They are also gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free! My gluten-free granola bar recipe delivers chewy with a little crisp, and the chocolate chunks that are amazing!
My digestive system is pretty sensitive, so I need to be careful of what I eat and how much I eat. These granola bars are oat-based. I used verified gluten-free rolled oats. If you need to be gluten-free, make sure the oats say “gluten-free”. Many oats when processed can have cross-contamination with wheat and other grains; therefore, they are not considered gluten-free. Many oat-based cereals claim they are gluten-free, but when you check out the ingredients, the oats are not certified gluten-free. Please be careful out there if you have celiacs or are super sensitive to gluten, oats might be a trigger for you.
For my granola bars I like to give the oats a little pulse in the food processor, it just helps me digest them more easily. But, it’s totally okay to go the full oat route. Use whatever you like.
More about oats
Oats have tremendous health benefits. They are full of manganese, which is great for bones, muscles, and tendons. It also helps reduce inflammation and regulate blood sugar. For more benefits of manganese, you can check out Healthline.
Rolled oats also have phosphorus, magnesium, and copper to name a few big ones. Oats are high in antioxidants and fiber, which help in weight loss, blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, and they’re good for your heart. This grain is a good one. If you need to be gluten-free, make sure the oats say they are gluten-free.
These no-bake gluten-free granola bars are not only great snacks for the family, but if you’re running low on time, slab some peanut butter on them and you’ve got lunch! I did this today…so good. My husband prefers to put goat cheese on his. Anything that spreads would be delicious on these yum yums.
There are a few other ingredients I want to bring to your attention. Of course, you can add a lot of different things to these, like dried cranberries, ground flaxseed, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, or diced dried apricots. If your budget allows you, definitely try dried cherries!
Recipe secrets. Shhh!
The ‘No-bake” is super important for this recipe. I tried this recipe by baking it in the oven and it did not work! I actually made granola, so if you’re looking for granola, just bake the recipe on a cookie sheet at 350 for 20 minutes. However, if you want true bars, melt the wet ingredients in a saucepan then mix them all together!
For my recipe, to get that extra crisp, you must add the gluten-free crisp rice cereal. Yes, this is one of my secret ingredients. Please don’t tell anyone. 😊 The crisp rice really makes these granola bars come together. I use Malt-O-Meal Crispy Rice Cereal. It comes in a large bag, so if you’re a fan of rice crispy treats, you’ll be all set. The only place I’ve been able to find it is at Walmart. It’s a lot cheaper than the gluten-free crisp rice from health food stores.
Another secret ingredient is ground cloves. Don’t you just love the smell of cloves? When I was little my friend, Jill, would stick an apple full of cloves and hang it in their kitchen. It smelled SO good! Cloves give this recipe a warm comfort feeling the cloves might be the culprit of why these are so dang delicious!
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One more ingredient that will make a big difference: chocolate chunks. Because of all my food sensitivities, I spend the extra money and get the Enjoy Life chocolate chunks. These chocolate chunks or chips are free from major allergens including dairy, gluten, soy, and nuts. The chucks in my gluten-free granola bars give them amazing texture. You, of course, can use the chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips, but if you get a chance, try it with chunks!
More you should know about the recipe
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The trick to this gluten-free granola bar recipe is to add enough coconut oil. Coconut is not a tree nut, it is a fruit. My son has a nut allergy, and he can eat coconut. Think of it this way, if the coconut was a nut, wouldn’t the ‘nut’ be formed like walnut or pecan? Instead, coconut is meat that surrounds water. This, of course, is my opinion. I know some of you disagree with me. But in this recipe, coconut is not a nut. For the coconut oil, I use Kirkland’s from Costco. I always have it on hand.
Coconut has a slew of health benefits. I have another recipe that lists how good coconut is for you, if you want to check it out you can find that here.
As for the sweetness of the homemade gluten-free granola bar recipe, I chose honey to do the job. There is no other sugar added to this recipe. No brown sugar, no white sugar, and definitely no high fructose corn syrup! Just all-natural honey. Now. If you want to experiment with maple syrup, go for it! There are some recipes where I put half honey and half maple syrup. I just like to try to avoid white sugar if possible.
1/2cupdairy-free, nut-free chocolate chunks or chips
Instructions
Line your 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper
Pulse the oats a few times if you would like them in smaller bits…I prefer this. Otherwise, it's okay to keep the oats whole.
Grab a large bowl and put in the oats, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Stir with spoon or clean hands. I prefer to use my hands.
Add the dried fruit, crisp rice, sunflower seeds, and chocolate chunks to the bowl. Stir.
Combine coconut oil, vanilla, and honey into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the mixture is bubbling. Remove from heat.
Take the honey/oil mixture and pour over the dry ingredients. Stir using a wooden spoon or spatula.
Once everything is coated with the honey/oil mixture, dump it all into the lined 8 x 8 pan. PRESS FIRMLY INTO THE PAN. This is how they stay together. Super important!
Cover the pan with foil and place it in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Two hours+ is ideal. Once formed, remove the block of mixture from the pan and cut it into bars to the size of your liking.
Store the granola bars in a Zip-Lock bag or air-tight container in the frig. for up to 7 days.
Notes
Please note the calories and cost are estimated. These would be more expensive if you went the organic route. And the calories will differ depending on the size you cut them…not to mention other ingredients you may add.These bars are excellent on their own, but feel free to add peanuts, almonds, walnuts, or other nuts for a meater bar. You can experiment by adding peanut butter, if you do, put it in the saucepan with the honey/oil mixture. Dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, or dried cherries would be amazing in this granola bar recipe as well. Enjoy!
In Conclusion
Having a teenage son and trying to get him to make wise menu options can be challenging. However, having this gluten-free granola bar recipe on hand has helped. I hope you enjoy these no-bake gluten-free granola bars as much as my family has. Enjoy!
Be sure to check out my other sweet treats!
All are gluten-free and dairy-free. Simple and delicious.
