Sprouted Coconut Sunflower Seed Bars

I really love this whole "sprouting" deal. I already went into minor detail in another post on the benefits of sprouting, but I highly recommend you read up on it and give it a shot. There is so much info on the net about sprouting, and all sorts of different websites that sell special sprouting jars or bags and other helpful tools.

I soaked and sprouted raw sunflower seeds last week. For some reason, I had this idea that if I stuck them in the oven on low, it would dry them out and they would be crispy. Hmm.... yeah, well, that idea didn't pan out like I had hoped. It could very well be that I just didn't do it right (that happens frequently). But what I ended up with was a sheet of darkened, wet sunflower seeds. Next time, I will use my dehydrator instead! (Have I ever mentioned how much I love using a dehydrator? Love it!) Anyhow, I didn't want to waste my precious sprouted sunflower seeds. My next big idea was to throw them into the food processor and make sunbutter with them. Uhmm, yeah, strike two on the sunflower seeds experiment. Ahh! All I had was a big batch of finely chopped seeds that were still very moist. So, in yet another attempt to salvage my seeds, I put them in a bowl and decided to try making bars with them. And guess what? IT WORKED! They were actually good! ;) I could tell this by the fact that my kids came back pleading for a second helping.

I put the rest of my sunflower seed meal in the fridge in a jar, and pulled it out today to attempt the bars again, only tweaking the previous recipe to make it a little bit better. I'm so happy with the results, that I'm posting them. Then, I'm going to go make another cup of hot tea and eat another one. ;)

Ingredients:
2 cups finely chopped, soaked and sprouted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup coconut flour
2 eggs
1/2-3/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all the ingredients well. Using your hands or a spatula, press the dough into a small bar pan or other baking pan. I line my bar pan with greased parchment paper to prevent sticking. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. The bars will become nicely browned, thin, and slightly crisp on the edges. Allow them to cool, then cut and serve.