Grain Free Carrot and Zucchini Bars:

Name: Grain Free Carrot + Zucchini Bars:
Ingredients: 4 large eggs; 1/4 cup maple syrup; 1 1/2 cup shredded carrots (I did 2 carrots); 1/2 cup shredded zucchini (I did 1 zucchini); 1/4 cup melted coconut oil (Substitute avocado oil or olive oil); 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 cup raisins (Optional); 1/4 cup chopped pecans (Optional or substitute your favorite nut or seed); 1 cup almond flour; 1/2 cup tapioca flour (Substitute arrowroot flour); 1/4 cup coconut flour; 1 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ginger; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp baking soda; 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal; 2 Tbsp hemp seeds; 2 Tbsp Melted Raw Coconut Butter

With spring being around the corner, there is no better way to enjoy than with these grain free carrot and zucchini bars. They are fluffy, moist, and loaded with all the nutrients. Making for a well balanced grain free carrot and zucchini bar.

Ingredients you will need:

Eggs
Vanilla extract
Maple syrup
Shredded carrots
Coconut oil
Shredded zucchini
Raisins
Chopped pecans
Almond flour
Tapioca flour
Coconut flour
Cinnamon
Ginger
Nutmeg
Salt
Baking soda
Flaxseed meal
Hemp seeds
Raw coconut butter

Do you have any substitutes for the flours?

As far as this recipe goes, I would say the only flour I have tried to substitute is arrowroot flour for the tapioca flour. And the consistency and texture turned out the same. But as for the almond flour and coconut flour, I have not tried any substitutes yet for this recipe. Feel free to try other flours. But keep in mind anytime you change the ingredients from original recipe, it may not turn out the same way.

I don’t like the taste of coconut oil, what is an alternative?

I personally use organic refined coconut oil in all of my baking recipes. Because it has a neutral flavor and does not leave a coconut taste to my baked goods. But if you absolutely despise coconut oil, you could use avocado oil or olive oil instead.

Do I have to use pecans?

If you don’t like peans feel free to omit entirely. And if you want a bit of a crunch, you could add any nut/seed you prefer.

Prepping the shredded carrots and zucchini:

I like to use my food processor to finely grate my carrots and zucchini. But I do them separately in my food processor. For the zucchini, since they hold a lot of moisture, I like to add it to a colander with salt, to help draw out the moisture. And then I add the zucchini to a mesh bag or cheese cloth and squeeze out all the excess moisture. Because you don’t want to end up with soggy carrot + zucchini bars.

Batter:

And once you have your veggies prepped, you can start preparing your batter. Add the wet ingredients to a large bowl and mix. And then add in the dry ingredients and mix. Fold in the shredded carrots, zucchini, chopped pecans, raisins, and mix.

Baking:

Add the batter to a lined 8×8 baking dish and smooth out with a spatula. And bake 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the bars rest:

And these carrot and zucchini bars are rather thick. And so I have found that it is best to let them completely cool before slicing. But I actually prefer letting them cool completely, covering with foil, and storing in the refrigerator overnight to help firm up more. And in the morning, I will slice into my desired size bars.

Drizzle:

And before slicing, I like to drizzle melted raw coconut butter all over the top. Let sit in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to allow the coconut butter to set and then slice.

Are these bars super sweet?

What I love about these bars, is that they have just the right amount of sweetness. I would say these are less sweet than typical carrot cake bars I’ve had. But that’s more of my jam, feel free to add extra maple syrup if you want them sweeter.

How to store leftovers:

I like to keep them stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. But these bars also freeze really well. And so you could individually wrap each slice, store in the freezer, for an easier grab and go option.