3/4 cup dark liquid sweetener (dark agave, maple syrup, or brown rice syrup)
¼ cup nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut butter, tahini, etc.)
3 cups rolled oats (or quick oats, however, rolled oats are best)
1 cup dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, blueberries, raisins, or chopped apricots)
1 cup nuts or seeds (slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, etc.)
pinch salt
OTHER:
GF vegan chocolate
lemon zest
candied ginger
dried spices or herbs
Directions:
Prepare a 9”x 9” baking sheet or pan with parchment paper.
In a food processor or blender, process 1 cup of the rolled oats into oat flour.
In a large pan over medium heat, warm syrup until bubbly. Lower heat if it’s boiling too high in the pan. Allow to simmer for about 2 minutes. (Simmering for a few minutes is what allows the sweetener to bind the ingredients so they won’t crumble.)
Whisk in the almond butter.
Turn off the heat.
Add the rolled oats, oat flour, dried fruit, nuts, and spices. Mix well.
Immediately press firmly into baking sheet or pan. Cool before cutting into bars with a sharp knife if you want them to be dry enough not to be too sticky. (Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes or an hour on the counter, minimum.)
Cut into desired size. (If you want them to fit into snack-size bags or specific containers, cut into appropriate shape and size.)
Wrap individual bars in parchment paper and tuck into a snack-size ziplock bag if you want quick grab-and-go bars.
Keep refrigerated or store in a cool place.
OPTIONAL: Dip into melted 85% dark, vegan chocolate for a decadent treat! Allow to set.
Recipe by Victoria Laine | Whole-Food Nutrition at https://victoria-laine.com/no-bake-granola-bars-gluten-free-vegan/