One of most dieting weaknesses falls in the category of snacks. That moment your sweet tooth kicks in, you think to yourself that “A few Oreos never killed anyone.” or “I’ll just eat the ice cream to this line in the carton.” Well, we all know that doesn’t work. As an alternative, my friend, Robina, has shared a recipe for her amazing granola bars. As a very simple and family friendly recipe, not only are these no bake granola bars absolutely addictive, better yet, they’re vegan!
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups of rolled oats
- 1 cup dates, pitted and pureed
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup/agave nectar
- 1 cup Rice Krispie cereal
- 1 tsp vanilla extract/emulsion (optional)
- 1/3 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup of roasted whole almonds
- 1/3 cup of Sultana raisins
- ¼ cup of dried cranberries or any dried fruit of your choice
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions:
- (This step is optional) Gently toast oats on a baking sheet in oven at 320 degrees F until they become fragrant (about 5 minutes)
- Mix oats and rice cereal in a large bowl. Add fruit, nuts, chocolate, and coconut.
- In a saucepan, heat up maple syrup, pureed dates, and vanilla until bubbly (about 2 min). Add salt. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir well to coat mixture evenly.
- Pour mixture into a parchment paper lined/greased 9×9 square pan. Smooth out mixture and flatten with a spatula to desired thickness.
- (Optional) Garnish with a sprinkle of shredded coconut flakes. Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours. (can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.)
- Enjoy!
