No oven, no preservatives, and a customizable template to create a delicious energy bar. Sign me up! I wish I had discovered this recipe when all my kids were home. The slightly melted dark chocolate gives the bar a delicious treat-like feel.
Ingredients:
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 c. slivered almonds
1/4 c. pumpkin seeds/sunflower seeds
1 T. flax seeds
1 cup puffed rice cereal
8 chopped Medjool dates
1/2 c. dark chocolate
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut shreds
1/4 c. creamy almond butter
1/4 c. turbinado sugar/brown sugar
1/4 c. honey
1 t. vanilla
dash of salt
Directions:
1. Combine ingredients from oats to coconut in a large bowl.
2. Spray an 8x8 glass pan with cooking spray.
3. In a small saucepan cook over medium-low heat, almond butter, sugar, honey, vanilla and salt. Stir constantly 2 - 5 minutes or until bubbles appear around the edges.
4. Pour nut butter mixture over oats and stir well to coat.
5. Immediately place the oat mixture in a prepared 8x8 glass pan. Use a spoon or hands to pat down and make an even layer.
6. Pop in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and cut into 8 bars. Enjoy!
7. Store in the fridge for up to a week (these usually don't last beyond 2 days here)
You can substitute the kind of nuts, seeds, nut butter, or dried fruit you like. When replacing dates, think 1/3 c of dried fruit.
Note, the dark chocolate will slightly melt and give the bars a chocolate flavor throughout.