No Bake Homemade Power Bars
Take a walk through any grocery store and you'll find an abundance of different granola or protein bars, each promising itself as a healthy option with ADDED PROTEIN! or LOW CARB! or FAT FREE! varieties. The unfortunate case is that, more often than not, these health promises leave much to be desired. Removing one tasty, unhealthy factor often means upping a different tasty, unhealthy factor. Add soy lecithin and a slew of artificial sweeteners, and it's difficult to know what you're putting into your body.
The good news? Homemade power bars are SO easy and cheap to make in your own kitchen. Making your own means you have the power to put in or take out whatever you want. I modified this recipe from vegetarian blog Hurry The Food Up to use what I had on hand and what resulted were incredible, filling, nutrient-packed bars perfect for breakfast or snacking.
No Bake Homemade Power Bars
Ingredients
3/4 C mixed nuts (I used hazelnuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, and Brazil nuts from the bulk section of the grocery store)
2/3 C old fashioned oats
1 tbsp unsweetened coconut milk
1 tbsp olive oil
1-3 tbsp honey (use maple syrup for vegan)
1/4 C dark chocolate chunks, chopped
1/4 C dried cherries, chopped
1/2 C chia seeds
1. Dry toast the nuts and oats in a frying pan over low heat until nuts are fragrant and oats are golden brown, about 4-5 minutes
2. Add the coconut milk, olive oil, and 1 tbsp of honey and stir for another 3 minutes
3. Remove from heat and add the cherries, chia seeds, and chocolate. Stir until everything is well mixed. Add 1-2 more tbsp of honey as needed to hold everything together.
4. Line a 9x9" baking pan with foil or cling wrap and pour in mixture. Using a spatula or spoon, press mixture firmly into an even layer. The firmer you press, the better the bars will stick together. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
5. Cut the block into 8 bars and store in an airtight container in the fridge. *Note: I found it easiest to pull the block from the pan with the foil, lay it flat and cut with a pizza cutter.
Seriously easy and seriously delicious. Once you make them, play around with different variations; change the fruit used, use different nuts or seeds- use your imagination! If you try it and make any changes of your own, let me know! I'm always looking for more ideas.
