Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

My go to granola bar recipe. This recipe has become my favorite. Extremely simple, and very fast to make. It makes you hesitate ever buying store bought granola bars again. The hubby loves them, so do I, and these are perfect for on the go. Just wrap them in parchment paper or saran wrap for a quick grab.

Healthy, no bake granola bars with just 5 ingredients and a sweet, crunchy texture. Peanut butter and honey complement each other perfectly in this ideal portable breakfast or snack.

Serves: 10 bars

Ingredients

·                            1 cup packed dates or prunes, pitted

·                            1/4 cup raw local honey (or sub maple syrup or agave for vegan option)

·                            1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter or almond butter

·                            1 cup raw almonds, loosely chopped (or pecans, walnuts)

·                            1 1/2 cups rolled oats or steel cut oats (toasted*)

·                            3-4 Tablespoons of dried unsweetened coconut

·                            optional additions: chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, banana chips, vanilla, etc.

Instructions

1.               Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a “dough” like consistency. (mine rolled into a ball)

2.               *Toast your oats in a 350 degree oven for 15-ish minutes or until slightly golden brown. Otherwise, leave them raw – I prefer the toasted flavor.

3.               Place oats, almonds and dates and coconut in a bowl – set aside.

4.               Warm honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.

5.               Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8×8 dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily. (A loaf pan might work, but will yield thicker bars.)

6.               Press down until uniformly flattened. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let set in fridge or freezer for 30 minutes to harden.

7.               Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 even bars. Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. I kept mine in the freezer to keep them extra fresh, but it isn’t necessary.

Adapted from: http://minimalistbaker.com/healthy-5-ingredient-granola-bars/