Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup raw almonds / walnuts / pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 cup pitted and tightly packed down dates
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds (roasted or raw)
- 2 tbsp flax seeds (ground or whole)
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 2 tbsp coconut butter
- ¼ cup date paste
- ¼ cup creamy salted natural peanut butter or almond butter
Method
Toast oats and almonds in a pre-heated oven at 180 °C (350 °F) for 13 – 15 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. Process the dates in a food processor, until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should be of a “dough”-like consistency.
Place oats, almonds and dates in a large mixing bowl. Add seeds and keep aside.
Warm the date paste, coconut butter and peanut or almond butter in a small saucepan, over low heat. Stir and pour over the oats mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout. Use a spoon or your hands to thoroughly mix. Transfer to an 8″ x 8″ dish, or any other small pan lined with parchment paper, so that they can be easily taken out.
Cover with parchment paper and press down firmly with something flat, such as a book, to get them really packed tight. This will help them from being crumbly. Chill in the refrigerator or freezer, for 15 – 20 minutes to harden.
Remove the slab from the dish and cut neatly into 10 even bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a few days.