These home-made granola bars are easy to make and healthier than processed bars. Packed full of raw nuts, dried fruit, whole grain oats and coconut oil, they contain all three essential macronutrients: protein, healthy fat and fiber.
They freeze well so make a big batch and keep them on hand for quick breakfasts when you're short on time or healthy, portable snacks. Take them to school or work, the beach or hiking trail, or wherever your day may take you.
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup packed dried unsweetened apricots
½ cup packed dried unsweetened cherries (or substitute dried unsweetened cranberries)
½ cup packed dried unsweetened dates
1½ cup boiling water
½ cup raw cashews
½ cup raw almonds
½ cup raw pistachios or raw pumpkin seeds
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
¼ cup ground flax seeds
¼ cup honey
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp organic butter, or substitute more coconut oil
- Preheat oven to 350F and boil the water.
- Place the apricots, cherries and dates in a glass bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- Line a 7”x11” glass baking dish with parchment paper. (You can use another size baking dish, but this will change the thickness and cooking time.)
- Melt the butter and stir in the honey. Set aside.
- Grind the flax seeds if they’re not already ground. Set aside.
- Add the oats, cashews, almonds, pistachios, cinnamon and sea salt to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- After the fruit has rehydrated, strain it and reserve the liquid. Add the fruit to the nut mixture in the food processor, along with the ground flax seeds, butter and honey. Pulse to combine, adding the reserved liquid as needed to mix, about ¼ cup. Once the mixture is homogenous and well combined, transfer it to the baking dish and smooth into an even layer about 2 cm thick.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove it from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Cut into bars and eat or store them in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment paper. Wrap some bars individually in parchment paper so they will be ready to go when you are. Store them in the fridge for one week or the freezer for one month.
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