Healthy, Scrumptious Crunchy Granola Bar Recipe (raw, vegan, delish!)

Ingredients: yields 20 bars (1/4 cup each)

1 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked & dehydrated
1 cup rolled, gluten-free oats, soaked & dehydrated
1 1/2 cups raw pumpkin seeds, soaked & dehydrated
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup raw coconut crystals
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cold-pressed coconut oil
1/4 cup raw honey
1/2 cup diced medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup diced, dried apricots

Topping:

Date paste




Preparation:

I recommend not to skip soaking & dehydrating the pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and oats. This will ensure that the batter doesn’t get too wet.
In a large mixing bowl combine the sunflower seeds, oats, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, coconut, raw coconut crystals, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Mix together well so the spices are evenly dispersed.
Add the water, coconut oil, raw honey, dates and apricots. With your hands, work everything together, getting everything well coated.
To create the bars; I used a press which worked beautifully. If you don’t have a press, line a baking sheet with plastic wrap, making sure to bring it up over the edges. Press the batter into the pan with the palm of your hands or better yet, cover with another piece of plastic wrap and place another baking pan on top. Press down as firm and evenly as you can. Place in the freezer for a few hours. Remove, lift out onto a cutting board and slice into bar-sized shapes.
Place the bars on the mesh sheet that comes with the dehydrator. I used a knife to slide under each bar to transport it to the mesh sheet.
Pipe the date paste onto each bar. I used a Wilton piping tip and a large piping bag to accommodate it. This pipe tip size matched perfectly with the width of the bar press that I used. You can use a butter knife if you don’t have these tools. Just do your best and have fun with it.
Dehydrate at 145 degrees (F) for 1 hour, then reduce to 115 degrees (F) and dry for about 24 hours or until dry to the touch on the outside but a bit moist on the inside.
Allow the bars to cool to room temp before storing. Wrap individually. On the counter top they should last 1-2 weeks, in the fridge 2-4 weeks and in the freezer, up to 3 months, possibly longer!

Thank you to nouveauraw.com for this fabulous recipe.