Goji Berry Breakfast Bars

These are one of my favorite Bars. They are great as a snack food and or breakfast on the run. You want to plan ahead when you are making these because you do need to soak the buckwheat groats for 6-8- hours. I like to get a few bowls ready the night before to prepare for the soaking process.

I tend to keep these on the lower sugar index just because I enjoy things less sweet. So make sure you taste test the batter to see if you might like them sweeter. Be careful when adding more sweetener to your recipe because once they are dehydrated the sugar is then concentrated in the flavor. They are really good. Feel free to change the ingredients as blueberries, cranberries, or other dried fruit can add great variations to these bars.

2 cups organic Buckwheat Groats, soaked 6-8 hours

1 cup Pumpkin Seeds, soaked in 2 cups water 2-4 hours

1/2 cup Flax Seeds, soaked in 1 cup water

1/2 cup Flax Seeds ground

1/2 c. Goji Berries soaked in 1-1/2 cups water for a 1/2 to 1 hour

1-cup Raisins, soaked in 2 cups water 1/2 hour

6 large Dates, pitted (Medjool dates)

4 tbsp Raw Honey, maple syrup or agave nectar

2 droppers full of Chocolate Raspberry Liquid Stevia by Sweet Leaf

1 tbsp non-alcohol Vanilla extract

2 tbsp Raw Cacao Powder

3 tbsp Raw Cacao Nibs (note: grind with the flax seeds)

2 tsp Cinnamon

Pinch of Gray Sea Salt

1/2 cup hulled Hemp Seeds or sesame seeds

Put buckwheat groats in a large bowl and fill to the top with purified water. The buckwheat will more than double in size as it expands, so use enough water to keep it fully under water.

I like to rinse the buckwheat periodically to keep the water fresh.

Rinse soaked buckwheat thoroughly after soaking six to eight hours.

Soak pumpkin seeds in 2 cups water for 2 - 4 hours. Drain and rinse.

Soak 1/2 cup flax seeds in 1-cup water for 15-20 minutes or until saturated. (The flax seeds will absorb all or most of the water).

Soak Goji Berries in purified water for a 1/2 to 1 hour. Drain.

Soak raisins in 2 cups water 1/2 hour. Drain.

Soak dates in 1/2-cup fresh water for 5 - 10 minutes or until soft. Drain the soak water.

Grind the remaining 1/2-cup flax seeds and 3 tbsp raw cacao nibs in a coffee grinder or blender until powdered. Set aside.

In a food processor or blender chop pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, dates, honey or maple syrup, vanilla, cacao powder, cinnamon and sea salt.

With a rubber spatula, in a large mixing bowl, mix in hemp seeds or sesame seeds, ground flax seed, cacao nibs and add the mixture from the food processor or blender and stir well. Fold in soaked buckwheat groats, Goji berries and raisins. If too wet add more ground flax seeds. The texture should be sticky, but the mixture should be able to hold a shape when processed. Using wet hands or a Wilton 13 Inch Angled Spatula With Black Handle spread the mixture 1/4 inch evenly onto parchment paper or on Teflex dehydrator sheets. Use a pizza cutter and cut into 2x3 inch bars.




Dehydrate at 130 degrees for the first hour then turn down to 118 degrees. Dry 4-6 hours or until you can flip them over (take another tray and place on top and flip) and take the parchment paper or Teflex dehydrator sheets off and then dry for another 4 hours or until completely dried.
Store uneaten bars in the freezer in glass storage containers.

Makes about 40 bars.
There are several manufactures that provide great dehydrators. Any model will work, but I prefer the stainless steel over the plastic. They should also have a thermostat so you can control the temperature if you are concerned about keeping your bars raw.