Turbinado Energy Bars

School is officially under way, and I have to say I’m having mixed feelings about it.

I’m the kind of person who craves structure, so as convenient as it is for me to schedule work and time for myself when my guys are in school, I miss the lazy mornings of laying around in our pajamas and spending leisurely afternoons at the pool.

I love being able to plan a hike with my girlfriends each week, but I hate packing lunches every morning. So whether I’m ready or not, it’s time to settle into a routine!

I find the biggest challenge of switching from summer mode to school mode is making sure my kids are getting enough sleep and eating enough of the right foods. Those two things are make or break with my kids. It’s so important to get them to bed on time and also make sure they are filling their bodies with food that will give them the energy to get through the day.

So when In The Raw asked me to make a recipe from their archives using one of their all natural sweeteners, I was hoping to find something I could use in lunch boxes or as an after school snack.

This recipe for Turbinado Energy Bars fits the bill perfectly! Not only are they made entirely from whole foods, they’re easy to make and I knew would be loved by kids and adults alike. I could just as easily throw one into my son’s lunch box as I could my pocket for a quick energy boost during one of my weekly hikes.

Buttery macadamia nut oil, which is full of antioxidants, imparts a delicate yet rich flavor that doesn’t overpower the bar. Chopped nuts, seeds and oatmeal make up the bulk of the bar while the not-overly-sweet energy bar gets a nice crunch from the turbinado sugar.

It’s a sweet treat I don’t feel guilty about letting my kids munch on. Full of organic nuts and seeds, these are the perfect snacks to fuel a long day at school. And not bad crumbled on a bowl of Greek yogurt and some fresh berries for breakfast either!!

You may be wondering why my last photo is “censored.” Well, it’s a fun new app called “Au Natural In The Raw” that turns up the heat on your tempting creations! It’s great way to share your sweet photos. You get to decide just how much coverage you want on your steamy food photo.

And, honestly, what could be more tempting than baking with an all natural product and sharing it with friends and family? It’s a win-win in my book! If you want to the recipe for these amazing bars, you can find it here.

While you’re on the In The Raw site, be sure to spend time browsing through the many recipes using one of In The Raw’s all natural sweeteners. They have so many wonderful recipes it will be hard to choose just one! If you leave a comment below telling me what recipe you’d like to make most, you’ll be entered to win a $100 gift card to Cooking.com

Lots of sweetness going on today so be sure to share the love! Have a great day everyone!!

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*In The Raw provided product for me to use and I was compensated for this post. However all opinions are my own!