toasted oats, nut butter, agave, dates, cranberries, nuts & seeds, sea salt, dark chocolate.
For the love of all things chewy, nutty, salty and sweet.
If you're anything like me, I constantly scour the market for healthier snacks. Nine times out of ten, I am frequently disappointed- the ingredient lists are always far too long, with added sugars and things I can't pronounce.
I decided to skip the packaged Quaker and Kind bars, grab some basic pantry staples, and make a homemade snack instead. These bars are NO-BAKE, made entirely of wholesome ingredients like oats, pepitas, and medjool dates, and they’re healthy enough to have for a quick breakfast, the perfect afternoon pick-me-up, or to add in to your littles' lunchbox. My beautiful little girl helps me make these every time, and we can never stop ourselves from sneaking at least a few pieces from the bowl. We hope you love them <3
"You'll never buy store bought granola bars again."
Wholesome + Healthy Ingredients:
*Dates – A natural sweetener+bone strength, fiber, antioxidants.
*Cranberries – reduced sugar+ UTI prevention, skin, heart health, vitamin C.
*PBfit– I use powdered peanut butter for 1/3 the fat of regular nut butter. Just blend in water for a creamy, peanutty spread. + Protein source.
*Oats – Gluten-free or old-fashioned oats + lower blood sugar + cholesterol, high in fiber. I also add one rice cake for texture.
*Nuts & Seeds - Use any that you prefer + healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber.
*Dark Chocolate - heart healthy ❤️ and delicious.
*Date Syrup - For added natural sweetness. You can substitute with honey, maple syrup, or agave.
Bliss Bars
Ingredients:
BARS
• 1 c oats (GF)
• 1 rice cake (crumbled)
• 65g dates (pitted)
• 1/4 c date syrup or sf maple syrup*
• 1/4 c PBfit* + 1/4 c water
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 c mixed nuts + seeds*
• 1/3 c low sugar cranberries
TOPPING
• 1/2 almond dark chocolate bar
• 1 tsp tahini or nut butter or coco oil
• pinch flaky sea salt
(Makes 6 bars)
Method:
BASE:
1. *Optional: add 1 c of oats to a greased skillet and lightly toast on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Use a spatula to occasionally stir.
2. To a large mixing bowl, add oats, pbfit, water, date syrup or agave, cranberries, chopped nuts, 1 crumbled rice cake, dates (pitted and chopped), and salt. *I sometimes pulse everything in my food processor to save time. The mixture should be sticky enough to hold together. If it's too dry, add another splash of water, or extra pbfit/agave.
3. Add a piece of parchment paper to a bread pan (or alternate). Pour the granola on top of the parchment paper and use a spatula to press it down and into the corners until the bottom of the pan is covered.
4. In a small bowl, add the chocolate (broken into pieces) with 1 tsp tahini or coconut oil/nut butter. Melt in the microwave in 30-second intervals until melted, stirring in between each (I had to do this 3 times).
5. Quickly drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the granola and add a pinch of flaky sea salt.
6. Pop into the freezer and allow to set for about 20 minutes. Remove from the freezer, lift parchment paper out onto a cutting board, and slice evenly into 6 bars. Have one, or three ;) Enjoy!
NOTES:
1. Toppings are completely optional: You don't have to add a dark chocolate drizzle, but we HIGHLY recommend it!
2. I like to toast my oats lightly in a greased skillet before adding them to the mixing bowl, but again, this step is optional. It gives the oats a deeper, toasty flavor.
3. PBfit is my go-to spread, as it is lower in fat. If you prefer, you can use coconut oil, or any nut butter.
4. I use a mix of walnuts, cashews, almonds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. If you don't like cranberries, you can swap these for chocolate chips, raisins, or omit entirely.
5. Store, wrapped in parchment paper, in a sealed container in the freezer. Pull out a bar when you're ready to eat!
*Nutritional values may vary based on what you use. Macros include sugar-free maple syrup, Gatsby dark chocolate, nuts, low sugar cranberries, and PBfit.
Calories (1 bar) | Carbohydrates (g) | Fat (g) | Protein (g) |
186 | 22 | 7 | 6 |
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