Oil-Free Granola Bars

Granola bars are great way to enjoy your favorite nuts, fruits, & seeds in an easy to enjoy package! They are packable, quick to grab on the go, easy to customize, and easy to eat too! These bars remind me of the non vegan Nature Valley granola bars we have all enjoyed at some point in our lives. They have a slight honey taste & are perfectly crumbly! These bars are full of healthy fats & protein to fuel you through your day! They are refined sugar free, oil-free, & gluten-free!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup GF rolled oats

• 1/3 cup raw pecans

• 1/3 cup raw almonds

• 1/3 cup ground flax

• 2/3 cup shredded coconut

• 6 pitted dates

• 3 tbs almond butter

• 1/3 cup brown rice syrup (or sub coconut nectar, agave, or maple syrup)

• 2 tbs hemp seeds

• 1/4 cup dark chocolate (either from a bar or chips)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. In a food processor or high speed blender, pulse the oats, pecans, almonds, flax, coconut, & dates until it becomes a fine crumbly consistency. DO NOT over blend!

3. Then add in the almond butter, brown rice syrup, & hemp seeds. pulse that in until everything is combined and holds its shape when pressed together. If it is still too crumbly, had a tablespoon or two more sweetener

4. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper & pour the bar mixture into it

5. Using a spatula, evenly spread the mixture out to all the edges & corners

6. Press the mixture down really well with a spatula or your hands. Make sure to top is even & level

7. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. When they are done baking, the bars should be slightly browned & the edges should have separated from the sides a little bit

8. Let the bars cool completely before removing from the baking dish

9. While the bars are cooling, melt your chocolate over a double boiler (a bowl sitting over a pot of boiling water) or use the microwave (heat in 20 second increments, stirring between each one)

10. Once the bars have cooled, remove from the tray & slice into bars or squares. I like to slice mine into 8 bars but feel free to shape yours however you like

11. Drizzle with your melted chocolate and enjoy immediately or save for later in the week! You can also freeze these bad boys in an airtight container for up to a month! Whenever you are ready to enjoy, set out at least 12 hours before hand.