Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

7th Heaven in 7 Layers

By

I am so glad you all liked “A Day in the Life of a Sugar-Free Girl” post! You all had some great questions, and I tried to answer them to the best of my ability. There were a few people who requested me to do a post about my vitamins and supplements, and I think it is a great idea! I will get to work on writing a post about this.

Also, here is the Sugar-Free 7 Layer Bar recipe I taunted you all with on Monday!

It started out with me buying a bag of unsweetened carob. I don’t why I didn’t try this sooner! I thought I didn’t like carob, but I was so wrong! This stuff is amazing, and extremely sweet naturally (I can only handle a few pieces before I get a sugar-headache). However, I think it tastes more like butterscotch rather than chocolate.

 

Here is a breakdown of the seven layers of a regular 7-Layer bar and my healthy 7-layer bar:

Regular 7-Layer Bar: ***************************My Healthy 7-Layer Bar:

1. Graham Cracker crust                                                 1. Oatmeal Crust

2. Chopped walnuts                                                         2. Chopped Walnuts or Pecans

3. Chocolate chips                                                            3. Unsweetened Chocolate Chunks

4. White Chocolate chips                                                4.  Dried Fruit

5. Butterscotch chips                                                       5. Unsweetened Carob Chips

6. Sweetened Shredded Coconut                                   6. Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

7. Sweetened condensed milk                                       7. Coconut milk

 

Print
7th Heaven in 7 Layers

Serving Size: 18 bars

7th Heaven in 7 Layers

~These 7-Layer bars (or Magic Bars) are gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup oat flour (blend oats in blender until smooth)
  • 1/2 cup chia gel (mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 1/2 cup water and let sit for 20 minutes, or until they "puff up")
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1/2 cup chopped unsweetened chocolate (I used Baker's bars)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened carob chips
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried fruit (like dates, apricots, raisins, or cherries. Optional. They taste fine without the fruit, too!)
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 (14 oz) can of coconut milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375*.
  2. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper or foil to help lift the bars out of the pan.
  3. Mix the oats, oat flour, and chia gel together and spread on bottom of pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  4. Then sprinkle the walnuts in a layer, chocolate chunks, carob chips, fruit (if using), and coconut shavings on top.
  5. Pour the coconut milk evenly over the dish.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes or until the coconut is golden brown.
  7. Let the bars cool at room temperature for 2 hours (or in the fridge for less). If you try to cut the bars before they cool, they will crumble. Once they are done cooling, cut the bars and serve to hungry people 🙂
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/03/02/7th-heaven-in-7-layers/

In the pan cooling....the agony of having to wait! Ugh!

 

Health Benefits:

  • Carob: Unlike chocolate, carob contains no caffeine and it contains a number of nutrients, including vitamins A, B, B2, B3, and D. It contains a good dose of Pectin that helps to eliminate toxins from the body.
  • Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I wrote on all the benefits of Chocolate.
  • Coconut: Coconut is widely misunderstood because of it’s high fat content; however, coconut’s saturated fat is made up of medium-chain fatty acids. These medium-chains are easy to absorb and digest, and are converted quickly into energy. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz.!
  • Oats: Click HERE for a post I wrote on al the benefits of Oats.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What was your most memorable birthday dessert as a kid?

I remember my mom making me a birthday cake shaped like a jewelry box! It was my absolute favorite! It had candy necklaces, gold coins, and ring pops in it. It also had a beautiful ballerina on top that I got to keep. I wasn’t always sugar-free 😉


Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. I can not wait to try this recipe. I love 7 layer bars, but would love them even more if they weren’t filled with every kind of sugar. I’m drooling 🙂

  3. Oh my gosh, these look fabulous!!

    Wait, is it YOUR birthday tomorrow?! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

    When I turned 5 I had a big Cinderella birthday party. My mom dressed me up in a blue Cinderella dress and all my friends came dressed up in princess outfits, too. The cake was a Cinderella Barbie cake, the skirt of barbie was the cake! haha, it was pretty awesome!

  5. AHHH HAPPY BDAY FOR TOMORROW 😀
    AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH 7 LAYER BARS ARE MY FAV no joke.. HOW DID YOU KNO!!? WHEN I WAS A KID i ate 1/2 an entire batch in one go.. i felt sick.. and NOW I CAN EAT THEM AND NOT FEEL the guilt.. 😉
    LOVE THIS

  7. These are like a healthy version of the bars my mom used to make when I was growing up!!! I should totally make these for her so I can show her how to make them better for you 🙂

  9. I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO can’t wait to make these! They look/sound delish! Oh – and I too would LOVE to hear your thoughts on vitamins. I want to start taking a more natural multivitamin as opposed to the standard “one a day” vitamins. 🙂

    • Hey Lindsay! I am working on the post as we speak 🙂 But I will tell you that “one a days” are a total waste of time. I take raw one for women-and they are wonderful! I only need to, and they are made from raw foods so my body knows how to digest them…

  10. Wow Alex, you’ve outdone yourself!! These look incredible; I’m eager to make them. The only things I’ll have to substitute is the carob, since I have none. Guess I’ll have to add MORE chocolate… twist my arm. 😛

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Are you turning 17?

  13. I’m beyond impressed that you healthified a 7-layer bar. Those things are the BEST. Your version looks beyond delicious!

  14. We were in the UK for my 5th birthday in Edinborough. There is a candy there called Edinborough (sp?) Rock. The hotel covered my cake in it. Would hate that now but a good memory. Your bars have be salivating at work.

  15. Girl, you are the BEST!!!! These sound amazing!!! I have been dying for that recipe ever since you posted the picture on Monday!

    Happy Happy Happy Happy Birthday Birthday!
    Happy Happy Happy Happy Birthday Birthday!
    Happy Happy Birthday!
    Happy Happy Happy Birthday!
    Happy Birthday!
    Happy Happy Birthday!
    Happy Happy Birthday to YOU!

    xoxo
    Kathleen <3

  16. These look amazing!! I want to make them so badly. Is their anything you could substitute for the chia gel? or can you get chia gel at Whole Foods?
    Recently, I’ve found a correlation between sugar consumption and when I get headaches so I have some questions for you about giving up sugar and why you went sugar free, I’ll probably email you later.
    Also, happy early birthday!

    • Sorry I haven’t gotten this message earlier! It was tagged as spam…

      You can get chia at Whole Foods! Or you could substitute eggs or flax. I hope you make it! If you do, tell me how it is 😉

      Feel free to ask me any questions you like. I’l be happy to answer them!

  18. Those look so good. I really need to get to the store. And I bought some unsweetened carob recently too – that stuff is good!

    And I’m guessing the birthday is yours? Happy Birthday!

  19. happy early birthday!! although it feels more like our birthdays with you posting this amazing recipe for all of us. would you mind sharing with us the brand or a picture of the unsweetened carob that you bought? i have been dying to give carob a try because i’m pretty certain cocoa has been causing my tummy some distress.

    • Hi Dianna! I used Sunspire carob chips. They are in a red bag and it has some brown swirls decorating it with a green label. I found it in the baking section of my local health food store…

      And I hope cocoa isn’t making your tummy distressed! But if it is, maybe the carob will help?? 🙁

  22. Is it your birthday!? And i guess that would be today… Happy Birthday!!
    Your treat looks wonderful – I hope you have one just as good or even better (if thats possible) today!!

  23. Waw!! Your bars look so good & tempting too! I love them!

    I am going to make them soon! Thanks!! 🙂

    Greets from Brussels!

  24. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALEX!! those 7 layer bars look amazing! i loved 7 layer bars when i wasn’t vegan and i am SO glad you created this recipe. 🙂 i can’t wait to make them soon!
    i hope you have a wonderful birthday!

  28. Happy Birthday Alex! I hope you had a great day!

    I’ve never had an original 7 layer bar, but these look/sound 1000 times better! I am so making these ASAP!!

  31. Holy Moly! These look incredible! like beyond normal incredible… super incredible? Whatever, they look damn good!!!! I love that you healthified these and really, they are healthy. Yum!

  32. Chocolate cloud cake!! Haven’t had it in ages too. If you haven’t tried it, you really should, it’s a mouthful of fluffy marshmallowy goodness.

    • ohmygosh! I can’t believe I didn’t write it down…so embarassing….Anyway, thanks for letting me know! I fixed it. It should be 1 cup shredded coconut.

  34. So, I made these last night. Didn’t turn out so well…threw the whole batch away. It’s a good idea though….just not for me.

  35. OH. my. gosh. These bars are so freaking delicious. I love all of the recipes I have made of yours, but these are SO good. I really probably could eat the entire pan in one day. Maybe I’ll be able to stretch it out for two… Thank you 🙂

  36. These look so yummy! All i have on hand is light coconut milk though.. do you think that will still work?

  37. Hi!
    A review from downunder.
    I was looking for a healthier 7 layer bar to bring to work.
    I followed your recipe except I used no added sugar/dairy carob chips, 5 dates for the dried fruit and only had lite coconut cream (which turns out has less calories and fat, but it was just cos we ran out of milk) I think it worked ok. It didn’t stick so well but I expected that. I also added about 1/4 cup more of water. I had thirsty oats! Lastly I did it in a slice tray which is 8″ x 6″ (Sort of size)

    I thought they were ok – I actually had a small slice for breakfast, but even though the website is “sugar free” my poor sugar addict taste buds wanted more sweet. I think next time I will use chocolate or at least dairy carob and more dates (I only bought 5 big ones) and add a little stevia to the coconut milk.

    But the people at work loved them! They have tried my sugar-ful 7 layer bar (down here in Australia they aren’t a popular thing, and we dont have butterscotch chips so no-one knows what they are) and raved, but said these were different, yet still really REALLY nice. The athletic and health-types were extremely happy with it and would love me to bake more!

    So a thumbs up from the boys down under and a big thanks for me – my resolution this year is to encourage a healthy lifestyle, which is hard given my love of baking!

    • Hi Bron,

      Sorry they didn’t turn out exactly as hoped, but I’m glad your coworkers still enjoyed them. And yes, they probably don’t stick together as much because of the “lite” coconut milk. In regular 7-layer bars, evaporated milk is used, which is very thick and sweet. I hope you make them again with your changes to satisfy your sweet tooth!

      Thanks for the comment!

  38. I just wanted to tell you how much I love your recipes!! I am so glad I found this blog. I have been on this crazy, no processed-foods diet for almost 3 years now and have been miserable until I found websites like yours. I am so excited to make these but I have a question for the chia gel. Instead, could I use a flax egg? And if so, how many “eggs” do I need? Thnks!!

    • Carmen,

      I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes! Best of luck to you and your unprocessed diet! As for the flax, I haven’t tried it, but I am sure it would be fine. Perhaps use 2-3 flax eggs?

  39. I know this is an older post but when I read the recipe I got really excited and – even though I was sick – just had to go out and buy some of the ingredients I needed to make it myself. I made some adjustments. My oatmeal base was way too dry and I used dates and dark chocolate (had coconut blossom nectar in it so not totally sugar free) but they turned out really good! I get so excited when I find out about “healthy” desserts 🙂 Thanks for the recipe.

  41. Hii
    Im frm India and i doubt we can find chia seeds here what is the other alternate for chia any suggestions
    thanx for sharin this lovely recipe
    neel

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