Springtime, and the world is in flower again. All around me, the trees have undergone their transformation—one day, the natural world was stark and barren, the next, clothed in blossoms. Spring flowers are hopeful, angelic: the very picture of rejoicing. The miracle of spring never loses its power over the years. The heart needs this message every year (and indeed every day): that hope springs eternal; that the human heart can be resurrected, renewed, re-enlivened, redeemed.
We all need to know that our own lives can come into flower again, either with an answer to prayer, the arrival of a new dream, the appearance of unexpected love. Spring reminds us that it can be so.
In spring, I feel compelled to forage every flowering branch, admire the fragrance of every lilac bouquet, and go on every walk. Spring brings a kind of urgency with it, a frenzied feeling. We all know on some essential level that spring—like youth, beauty, and flowers—is ephemeral. The beautiful things always are; always fleeting, always leaving us. Who can blame us for feeling a little sad in the midst of so much temporal beauty? Such inevitability of loss? For such is life in this fallen world; that is, until redemption comes, and the kingdom which will never fade.
In the meantime, in this shifting world, I am grateful for each season and visitation of beauty. And I am especially grateful that embedded in the heart of spring is the message of redemption, of eternal life—Christ’s resurrection promises which cannot fade or fail the redeemed heart.
The certainty of eternity frees the heart to accept each day as it comes. And a spring day is easy to accept, with its proliferation of beauty. What a joy it is to bring lilac blossoms into the house, to breathe in their scent. How nice it is just to be outside again, able to breathe fresh air, cut flowers, or curl up on the porch with a book. Nothing makes me happier than spending a spring day with my puppy girl, Izzie, in her floppy Easter ribbons. I love to see traces of spring in my home, my studio, and my daily routine. Perhaps I’ll find bit of honeysuckle pressed between book pages, a fistful of forgotten flowers in my pocket.
It’s said that love is so vast, so overpowering, that it can only really be understood through the smallest things: a touch, a look, a gift. These tiny miracles and minute traces of spring feel like the very essence of God’s love. Just when we star to feel downcast, He places a new flower on our path.
Sometimes, especially in spring, I find myself in awe over our imaginative and loving Creator. What a kind and loving God we serve, who unnecessarily and lavishly paints the earth with flowers and pastel colors. He didn’t have to go to such lengths to create beauty, but He did. He didn’t have to cause the birds to sing each morning, but this is how He created them. He didn’t need to dream up anything as fascinating as flowers, and yet here they are. He already gave us everything when He freely gave us His Son—and yet He created all of this beauty as well. Such extravagance. Such grace.
Springtime, it seems, is the perfect time to create “unnecessary” beauty. Foraged floral arrangements, lines of poetry, baked sweets. With so much beauty around us, how can we restrain the desire to give back beauty in return? Spring heralds the return of gentleness and femininity. It’s a time to unearth silk dresses, diaphanous fabrics, printed scarves. It feels right to return to a softer, powdery fragrance—just a dab on each wrist, a bit behind the neck. In spring, I listen to French music and on a slow Saturday morning, bake poppyseed pancakes.
I find myself wanting to fill vases with simple forages and bake pretty things with delicate flavors. Hence, this series of lilac blossoms and uncomplicated, pretty treats.
Which brings me to this simple treat, the recipe for which you can find at the end of the post. These granola bites are tiny, dainty, and adorable: something you would pack on a picnic or savor over a gorgeous afternoon cappuccino. I’ve always loved dried apricots, seeds, and nuts, so these completely satisfy my sweet tooth. Just one bite feels nourishing and decadent.
They don’t require much in the way of preparation, and they’re lovely to have on hand. You can enjoy a nice, thick slab or sprinkle a teaspoon over oatmeal, yogurt, or (my personal favorite) apple or pear slices (Bosc pears if you want to do it really right). I substituted 1/2 C of cranberries for dried apricots as they are a personal favorite. The apricots give this granola a nice earthy flavor, and that hint of coconut is delectable. My favorite part involved toasting the oats, pecans, and fruits beforehand, which gives everything a robust, nutty flavor. I was reminded of childhood memories in Vail, and getting a paper cone full of those wonderful toasted pecans. This version is far less sugary and decadent, but no less comforting.
And as for these banana coconut bliss bites, they are so simple and splendid they’ve made their way into my regular rotation. If you haven’t noticed already, I find coconut heavenly, and love both its fragrance and flavor. Whether mixed in cake frosting or sprinkled over fruit, coconut enhances everything.
Back to the recipe: I first discovered these bliss bites on Tamara Clarén’s Instagram page—which, as it happens, is the quintessential Parisian style account– and they looked so pretty that I had to try them for myself. These bites are neat, tidy, and pretty, and best of all, a breeze to make. All that’s required is a quick assembly of ingredients and a generous dusting (or shall I say a snow shower) of coconut flakes.
I’ve experimented with different nuts (pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts) and, while Tamara uses a European biscuit, I just opted for a graham cracker. Any biscuit or sweet cracker should work; the point is to introduce a nice crumbly ingredient that holds the others together. The end result is light and ladylike: a perfect, not-too-sweet bite.
May you permit yourself to fully experience the sweetness of spring, and may you unashamedly welcome the season into your home and life. And may your spring days be graced with flowers and with the simple comforts of home.
This recipe was created by Elysia of Haute & Healthy Living, please follow the link to view the original recipe and check out her blog! I’ve reprinted the instructions directly from Haute & Healthy below; if you try it out, mention the author @HauteandHealthyLiving and tag #HauteandHealthyLiving
Yields 24 small bars or 12 large bars
- ▢2 cups rolled oats (can also sub in gluten-free oats)
- ▢1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- ▢1/2 cup cashews finely chopped
- ▢1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- ▢1/2 cup dried cranberries
- ▢5 tbsp coconut oil
- ▢1/2 cup honey
- ▢1/2 cup natural peanut butter or sub in seed butter to make nut-free
- ▢2 tsp vanilla extract
- ▢1/4 tsp salt
- ▢1/4 cup dark chocolate chips melted (optional)
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, toast oats and coconut for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the chopped cashews, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries.
- In a separate small saucepan, combine the coconut oil, honey, natural peanut butter, vanilla extract and salt. Cook for about 2 minutes or until coconut oil has melted.
- Add the liquid mixture to the toasted oat and coconut mixture and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until oats are coated and sticky.
- Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Add the oat mixture into the pan and distribute evenly with spatula. Wet the spatula and press down on the surface until smooth and packed down, making sure that you get into all of the corners.
- Place in the freezer for 30-40 minutes. Once hardened, remove from freezer and drizzle with melted dark chocolate, if desired.
- Cut into 12 large bars or 24 small bars while mixture is still partially frozen to help the bars stay together while cutting. Serve immediately or store in the freezer for later.
Notes
- Pack the granola bar mixture tightly into the pan so that the mixture sticks together, making sure that you pack it into the corners of the pan as well. You’ll also want to make sure that the mixture is evenly distributed so that the bars are all the same size and thickness. When pressing the granola bar mixture into the pan, wet a spatula or the back of a spoon or fork to prevent it from sticking to the mixture.
- I recommend cutting these bars when they’re still partially frozen (I let mine thaw for about 20 minutes before cutting) since it will be easier to cut them when they’re firm and will also help them better adhere together. Use a long sharp knife and cut all the way through to prevent them from getting crumbly.
- I suggest eating these granola bars when they’re still slightly chilled or partially frozen since they will start to soften up when left at room temperature for too long. If they start to soften up too much, pop them back in the fridge or freezer to allow them to firm up again. It’s generally best if you handle these bars while still partially frozen as they can get a little crumbly and sticky when completely thawed.
- The bars are pretty thick and filling. This recipe makes 24 small bars or 12 large bars. It makes a large batch so it’s perfect for meal prep! The nutritional facts are calculated based on 24 bars.
- These granola bars can be stored in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to a month. If stacking them, I recommend putting some parchment paper in between them to prevent them from sticking together.
Coconut Bliss Bites– Inspired by @tamaraclaren
Yields approximately 12 servings.
2 ripe bananas
1 C minced biscuit or graham cracker
1/2 C coconut flakes
1/2 C chopped hazelnuts (can substitute walnuts or pecans as desired)
For dusting: 1 1/2 C coconut, grated finely
- Mash bananas.
- Add minced biscuit, coconut flakes, and chopped hazelnuts to bananas.
- Form into balls and coat with grated coconut. Et voilà!
