Granola bar madness
Ever look at the back of a granola bar wrapper and struggle to identify even half of the ingredients? That’s what inspired me to create a delicious and healthy granola bar to pack for my lunches during a busy week at the hospital. I challenge you all to try and find a granola bar that is low in sugar and high in nutrient dense ingredients without all the added fillers, dyes, and preservatives! It’s not easy, but luckily this recipe is SO easy and you can customize it with whatever you like!
These granola bars shine from a secret ingredient that acts as a natural binder and sweetener, dates!! They’re so full of minerals that your body loves like magnesium (my favorite mineral!).
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups organic oats
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- ½ cup coconut chips
- ¼ cup cashew pieces
- 4 tbsp hemp seeds (raw and shelled)
- 5 chopped dates (choose juicy ones)
- ¼ tsp pink salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup almond butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp honey (mine is infused with bee pollen)
- ¼ cup dried blueberries
Optional
- 1 scoop collagen
- 1 scoop chocolate protein or greens powder
Directions
- Add all dry ingredients into a medium bowl.
- Pour vanilla, almond butter, maple syrup, blueberries, and honey to a small pot over medium low heat and combine until slightly bubbly. If you’re adding in protein or greens powders add them into the pot on the stove until well combined.
- Pour mixture over top of dry ingredients and mix with silicone spatula folding ingredients in and evenly distributing.
- Put the mixture into a 9×9 dish lined with parchment or whatever dish fits the thickness of how you want your granola bars to be and store in the fridge for at least 2 hours before eating!
- Cut into granola bar sized pieces and wrap in a small piece of parchment. Store in fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- This is such a versatile recipe. Sub any nut for cashews and almonds, sub any dried fruit for blueberries and coconut, sub PB for almond butter. Same goes for the protein powders, use whatever you have on hand! I love a good chocolate greens powder (I use the one from Amazing Grass) as it provides a ton of vitamins and minerals in something so easy to use.
- If you are vegan use 2 more tbsp of maple syrup rather than the honey and of course feel free to completely omit the collagen. I use it as a bone and joint supplement as well as for strong healthy skin, these are just among a few of the reasons I love collagen!
- Store these in the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for at least a month!
