These Strawberry Lemon Jam bars have a sprouted almond crust with a strawberry lemon jam topping that tastes like solidified strawberry lemonade. Made with real, simple ingredients, this recipe is paleo (gluten/grain/dairy free), vegan, and spiked with superfood lucuma powder that adds natural sweetness!

My guy has a thing for jams and jellies. Ever since I discovered his special fondness for preserved fruit spreads I’ve found it so endearing and even comical. To me, it’s such an odd thing to love. But then again I’m a sucker for the simple things too. I could probably eat plain steamed brussel sprouts every day and never get sick of them. But, I get special enjoyment sneaking up on him with his head in the fridge and teaspoon in hand as he dips into the jam/jelly jars. So this creation is for him. My jam lover.

These bars have a sprouted (!) almond crust, which makes it easier to digest and more nutritious, is the perfect complement to the strawberry lemon jam topping that tastes like solidified pink lemonade. I made the crust with ghee because I think it adds a wonderful flavor to the crust that plays against the tart fruitiness of the jam. But this can easily be subbed for coconut oil if you want to make it vegan or dairy free (although ghee is still lactose free) and the outcome will still be just as tasty.

The strawberry lemon jam topping requires no pectin because of the lemon juice. And to upgrade the jammy topping I spiked it with lucuma powder, a wonderful superfood that is packed with nutrients and adds natural sweetness. Lucuma is an Inca fruit that has been used to support healthy skin and good digestion. It has also been said to be good for cardiovascular health, it balances blood sugar and blood pressure. Plus, it’s a good source of beta carotene, iron, zinc, vitamin B3, and calcuim.

These are the perfect summer strawberry infused treat if you’re looking for something fruity but still low carb and low sugar.

paleo, gluten free, grain free, vegan, low carb, dairy free

Strawberry Lemon Jams Bars

These bars have a sprouted almond crust, which makes it easier to digest and more nutritious, goes wonderfully with the strawberry lemon jam topping that tastes like solidified strawberry lemonade. Plus the topping is made with lucuma which is a wonderful superfood that adds natural sweetness!

These are the perfect summer treat if you're looking for something fruity but still low carb and low sugar.

paleo (gluten free, grain free, dairy free), vegan

Ingredients

Sprouted Almond Crust

1/2 cup almonds soaked 24 hrs, rinsed then drained
1/2 cup coconut flour
4 tbsp ghee or melted/softened coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup coconut sugar

Strawberry Lemon Topping

2 cups fresh strawberries stems removed
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
2/3 cup lucuma powder
1/2 cup coconut sugar

Instructions

The night before soak almonds in filtered water.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper with a 2 in overhang for easy removal.
Prepare the crust. Drain and thoroughly rinse almonds.
In a food processor blend together all crust ingredients and pulse until an even dough forms.
Turn the dough out into the prepared baking dish and press firmly and evenly into the dish.
Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until crust is firm and golden brown.
In the meantime prepare the jam topping.
In a small pot and with an inversion blender, blend together the strawberries and the lemon juice. Alternatively, blend the strawberries and juice in blender and pour into a small pot.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot.
On a medium flame, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the flame and let simmer, uncovered and mixing often, until it is smooth and thick. Probably around 10-15 minutes. The mixture should be thick enough to nicely coat a spoon when dipped. Remove from the heat
Once the crust is out of the oven, pour the jam topping over the crust and let cool for about 30 minutes.
Move to the fridge to let cool completely.
Once thoroughly cool and the topping set. Gently lift the parchment paper to remove the dessert from the pan. Cut into 12-16 pieces and top with some fresh strawberry slices (optional).

Recipe Notes

*This recipe can easily be made vegan by substituting the ghee for coconut oil.

If you make this recipe I'd love to see your creation! Please either post a comment or picture on this page or if you're posting on Instagram please tag @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna

If you make this recipe I’d love to see your creation! Please either post a comment or picture on this page or if you’re posting on Instagram please tag @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.