Hot Hot Hot!
Today it reached 102 degrees today! Have you ever heard of weather like that in Minnesota? After swimming all day on the lake, my sister and her friend wanted something sweet but light. Lemon bars sounded perfect to them!
You see.. my little sister and her friend love to bake, but they love to bake with white sugar and white flour. We eat mostly GAPS food around here at my house, so that was not an option for the whole family. They were a little skeptical, but to their surprise these turned out great! They taste just like the unhealthy lemon bars full of sugar. Heres a little secret…they are actually quite healthy! These luscious lemon bars are filled with grass fed butter, raw honey, organic lemons, and lots of love 🙂 These are a must have treat on the GAPS diet. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
Crust:
*Due to high requests for a “nut free crust” I have decided to add this crust as a substitute. Please don’t use the garlic powder. Instead add in 2 Tbsp of honey*
1 1/2 cup Blanched Almond Meal Flour
1/2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt®
1-2 Tbsp organic honey or vanilla honey
2 TBS room temp butter or ghee <– coconut oil would work too
1 TBP Vanilla Extract 
Lemon Filling:
1/2 cup Organic Lemon Juice
3 eggs
1/4 cup organic honey
1/4 cup melted butter or ghee <– coconut oil would work too
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease a 9×9 in baking dish
3. Dust the baking dish with almond flour or coconut flour.
4. (dry) Mix almond flour and salt
5. (dry) Add in butter, vanilla, and honey
6. (dry) Mix these ingredients until you form a nice ball
7. Press your ball of almond dough into the bottom of your prepared pan
8. Bake for 10-15 min until golden brown on top
9. While the crust is baking mix all the lemon filling ingredients in a bowl
10. (wet) Mix the filling ingredients with a whisk or in a blender
11. Take out the almond crust and pour the lemon filling over it
12. Return the baking dish to the oven for 15-20 minutes until edges and top is slightly golden brown (you don’t want your crust to burn, watch it carefully!)
13. Take out the lemon bars and let cool on the counter for 30 min. If you cannot wait another moment you can eat them now (like we did) or put them in the fridge for 2 hours until set (this will make them easier to cut)
14. Eat and savor!
~Stay gutsy, Caroline
Those look really good. I’ve only recently heard of the GAPS diet and most of what I’ve heard makes it sound like quite a challenge… I went on a very restrictive diet years ago and didn’t have the benefit of blogs sharing recipes for ways to make it more bearable. Thanks so much for sharing this delicious looking recipe on Food Adventure Friday.
The GAPS diet is just an adjustment.With the about of fat you are allowed you can make almost anything taste good 🙂 I hope you look into more because it is very worth it!
Looks great!
thanks for stopping by!
These look fantastic! Now I’ve never had lemon bars so these would be a first for me… but they definitely look like a must-try… 🙂 Thanks for bringing them to Sugar Free Sunday!
Lemon bars are a traditional favorite in my family! hope you enjoy them as much as we do 🙂
These look like the “unhealthy” lemon bars and sound like they tasted great! Thanks for sharing the recipe! Found your site from Natasha in Oz
My picky sister LOVES these and she LOVEs her real sweets- so i guess these passed the test!
Oh, yeah. I’ve got to make that! What a great recipe. I love lemon. Just love it.
Oh good I am glad i could help!
I love it when healthy is delicious too! It’s lovely to see so many wholesome ingredients in a recipe for such a delicious treat.
Mmmm. Lemon flavored desserts are so yummy! And especially refreshing in the summer.
Yes they are very refreshing and healthy!
Healthy and delicious! These lemon bars look wonderful! Thanks for joining us for “Strut Your Stuff Saturday”. We hope you’ll be back soon! We loved having you. -The Sisters
Thanks again for stopping by!
I am definitely going to try these out! Caroline, do you have any guidelines about how much coconut flour to use to substitute for almond flour in a recipe like this? I know it won’t take much!
try making the coconut flour pizza crust as the base and just sweeten it up a little.. otherwise i will just have to make a coconut flour base 😉
I would love it, if you would share this, & any others you may have, on my recipe link up. http://goodrecipesonline.com/organized-linkup-for-all-your-recipes-goodrecipesonline-com/.
Thanks for the invitation! I sure will 🙂
Oh, my goodness! These were AMAZING! I made them for my little sister’s 6th b’day and they were a hit! I doubled everything but the amount of flour called for, since I used coconut flour. Absolutely delish! 😉
I am so happy that these turned out for you and your sisters birthday! Also i am very glad that you got the right amount of coconut flour to taste good–that is not always easy 🙂
Hi!
How were you able to use coconut flour? what were your measurements? I cannot have almond flour yet, but i know coconut flour is so tricky.
Thank you!
some people have successfully used this recipe of GAPPS pizza crust and just sweeten with a few TBSP of honey! http://www.mygutsy.com/gaps-pizza-crust/
Do you mind if I pin this on Pinterest?
Not at all! of course you can!
These look divine! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
You welcome!
Made these twice and they are wonderful! Thanks for the great recipe.
Beth! I am so glad you like them! looks like I need to post some new GAPS baked goods 🙂
Thats is great! I am glad they turned out for you
Caroline, I found your recipe on Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and it sounds wonderful! I will have to try them soon, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for reading! we love these lemon bars too much!
Thank you! I was just thinking about lemon bars the other day and wondered how I could “GAPSify” them! If you don’t mind my asking, where in Minnesota are you from? I live in SW Minnesota. I think we’re the only GAPSters in these parts. 🙂 -Heather
Hi Heather! I live W of Minneapolis. There is a yahoo MN GAPS group that is so helpful! I would LOVE to meet another GAPS-ster too 🙂 If you have any requests for recipes, don’t be shy! You can also e-mail me too.
Thanks! Good luck to you!!!
Hi all. We are finishing up our 11th month on GAPS and also live in MN. We are in one of the Southeastern suburbs of the Twin Cities.
I didn’t know there was a MN yahoo group for GAPS. I’m going to join. Thanks for posting that information.
ps – I used a coconut flour crust recipe for this from a Paleo website with your lemon filling. It’s all baking in the oven for the 1st time as I type! Going to be a good girl with waiting, and try it in the morning after it has set up overnight in the fridge 🙂 I will have to go brush my teeth so I don’t cave in!
You welcome. That is a good idea to combine 2 recipes! I think many people would like a coconut flour recipe crust too.
I totally want to try those. My son is allergic to nuts. What other flour would you recommend trying? Maybe a GF baking mix??
very tasty….won’t last long….
HAha, they didn’t eve last 24 hours in our house!
Making these tonight! I may just double the recipe and add a bit of stevia in place of some of the honey in the filling. Do you think that would work? Thanks. 🙂
For sure! I do that with recipe too sometimes !
I made these today and they were tasty! I will note that I was taking care of a very angry teething baby, and a upset toddler so I burned the edges (that happened quick) but the recipe is great! I did 1/4c honey and 2 squirts of stevia on the lemon part because I am trying ot limit my sugar. Delicious!
oh my gosh these look soooo good!!!!!!
Yes, and they taste as delicious as they look! thank goodness
Hi Caroline,
Truly these lemon bars exceed any others that I’ve eaten. In fact, they are in a class all by themselves.
It seems like I’m “cheating” on my diet. It is so reassuring that in addition to being over-the top scrumptious, they are nutrient dense. After I cooled them, I cut them in small squares and put them in the
freezer. My husband and I just had the last two with coffee. Mmmmm!
Thank you for your cool Gutsy Blog. I’m learning so much and I look forward to making many of your
yummy recipes. Be Well and enjoy the falling leaves.
That is really happy for me to hear! thank 🙂 no cheating with these babies. mmm freezing would be good too! thanks Shirley
Hi There Caroline,
WOW! You really impressed us this week. You have two recipes in our top 3 reader favorites from last week. Great job.
In order to be featured on AFW, however, you do need a link back directly to one of our blog hops. I’ve included my link if you want to use it.
Thanks for sharing your awesome recipes with us and for being part of the AFW community! 🙂
Be Well,
–Amber
Link: http://www.thetastyalternative.com/2012/08/allergy-free-wednesdays-week-32-august.html
Sorry about that Amber, I made these recipes a little while ago and I completely forgot. Thanks for the friendly reminder again! Yeah thats very exciting!!
Hi Caroline,
I sent you an email about the link back. I look forward to hearing from you.
*Squeals* GAPS desserts! And LEMON BARS!? I never thought I’d have those again! 😀 I’m not on GAPS, but I don’t eat sugar, I try to avoid grain (also being GF), and thus I don’t eat much variety in my ‘sweet stuff’. I don’t eat hardly any honey, either, so I think I’ll substitute most of the honey in this recipe with stevia. Ohhh, I am going to make this…*looks at clock*…nah, too late. Tomorrow. I’ll make this tomorrow. 😀
Dolly
DollyMadison.etsy.com
DollyMadisonDesigns.wordpress.com
Yes they are zoo good! that is ok to substitute, I’m all about making it work for YOU!
You must have doubled the filling for the bars pictured (?)….I made these the other day, but the lemon filling was half the thickness of the crust. So the next time I doubled the filling. The crust was soggy because of that, but still very good. 😀 I also increased the amount of lemon juice, so that could have been the reason. We like our lemon bars LEMON bars. 😀
Hi Dolly,nope I just used the recipe that I posted. It could have been the type of almond flour you used, but they have turned out for me many times. If you like them really lemony, then just decrease the honey! Hopefully it works out the next time 🙂
These look wonderful, but i am allergic to eggs 🙁 Is there anything i can substitute for them that would work? Thank you!
For a substitute mix 1 T of ground chia or flax seeds with 3 TBSP hot water. let it cool and sit in the fridge until it gels and use as 1 egg. though flax and chia are not GAPs friendly. Ive heard you can use gelatin, buy I have never tried.
Thanks Caroline! I will try that. I’m new to all of this..are seeds not good?
well chia and flax seeds are not allowed on the GAPS diet, but some people can handle a little after a time of healing.
Does the 3 eggs include the whole egg including the egg white? Or is it just 3 egg yolks? Would really like to make these and not mess them up.
the full eggs 🙂
I made these tonight and I have less than 1/2 the pan left–with me eating most of it! Uh oh. Very good! I made these almost exactly as written, but we substituted coconut oil for the butter as we are dairy-free. They are more custard-like, very wet when done, but quite good. I only felt guilty for the calorie intake, not the ingredients as they were pretty healthy overall. I might try coconut sugar or regular sugar next time to cut down on the liquid. Definitely one to make again. Thank you!
thank you for the recipie making them for bible study, Love finding ones that accomodate so many different allergies. I added culinary lavendar. I love lavendar and lemon together perfect for spring.
I am leaning more and more towards GAPS diet. I know my daughter will probably rebel because I’ve had a hard time keeping her off HFCS and other nasties, but I think if we all try it for awhile it would be a good thing. Thanks for this recipe, it looks very yummy! I’m now following you on FB.
Hi Heather! Yes my younger sister was questioning the GAPS foods at first too, but this recipe was actually her FAVORITE! it may be better then the actual lemon bars 🙂
Why is there no calorie count to these recipes?
counting calories is not needed when you eat a real food diet. these are “treats”
Can almond meal flour be replaced with Hazelnut flour?
I live in a hazelnut growing area and see the flour at the produce market.
Thanks!
I would give it a try!! sounds great actually 😉
Can you please tell me how many carbs are in the lemon bars. I’m pre-diabetic and have to stay somewhat low. Thank you!
I dont know the carbs of this but the main source of carbs would come from the honey, so you can always sub in xylitol or stevia
I’d love to try these bars! And I think I will throw in some cherries for a colourful holiday twist.
Julia, that is a great add-in! yum thanks for the idea
I have returned to this recipe countless times and it’s always a hit for even all my sugary friends and family!
Making them for Father’s Day weekend. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us!
I’d like to make this in a tart shell pan, one large one. Will this hold up to slicing in that size or is it better to leave it as bars and bake in an 8 x 8?