5 Ingredient Healthy Granola Bars

Dates
Oats
Nut Butter
Honey or Maple Syrup or Agave
Almonds

5 ingredients, super simple, quick, healthy, delicious.

Perfect snack to store in your fridge or freezer and grab as your rush out the door!

Healthy 5 Ingredient Granola Bars - Recipe ℅ Minimalist Baker

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup packed dates, pitted (deglet nour or medjool)*
• 1/4 cup honey (or sub maple syrup or agave for vegan option)
• 1/4 cup creamy salted natural peanut butter or almond butter
• 1 cup roasted unsalted almonds, loosely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten free for GF eaters)
• optional additions: chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, banana chips, vanilla, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a “dough” like consistency. (mine rolled into a ball)
2. Optional step: Toast your oats in a 350 degree oven for 15-ish minutes or until slightly golden brown. Otherwise, leave them raw – I just prefer the toasted flavor.
3. Place oats, almonds and dates in a bowl – set aside.
4. Warm honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.
5. Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8×8 dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily. (A loaf pan might work, but will yield thicker bars.)
6. Press down until uniformly flattened. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let set in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden.
7. Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 even bars. Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. I kept mine in the freezer to keep them extra fresh, but it isn’t necessary.

NOTES

*If your dates don’t feel sticky and moist, soak them in water for 10 minutes then drain before processing. This will ultimately help hold the bars together better.

Danielle

Energy Balls

I am a self proclaimed snacker. I like to snack and I LOVE sweet things!! These energy balls make the perfect snack and will satisfy those sweet cravings. Chocolatey goodness, peanut butter, crunchy seeds, chewy raisins...yes please! I try to have a stock of these in my freezer at all times!

You can adapt this recipe to include whatever your heart desires! This batch I did half peanut butter and half almond butter, added some chopped dried figs and substituted the cranberries for raisins because that's what I happened to have in my pantry.  There is no right or wrong ingredient to add to an energy ball as long as it is something your into!

White Water Energy Balls

Ingredients

• 1 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
• 1 cup sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup cocoa
• 2 cups peanut butter (or favorite nut butter)
• ½ cup honey
• 1 ½ cups toasted coconut (for coating) – optional
  
  

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Directions 

1. Put everything except coconut in a large bowl
2. Mix all ingredients together well with your hands.  You may need a bit more honey to hold it together
3. Roll ¼ cup scoops of dough into balls and then roll them in the toasted coconut
4. Store in Freezer

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Nutritional Analysis

Recipe makes 40 balls = 200calories each

Recipe from "Whitewater Cooks At Home" or find it online here
http://aliveandwellforlife.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52:whitewater-energy-balls&catid=11:snacks&Itemid=19