Our family is always on the go. I’m continually looking for nutritious and tasty snacks that we can just grab and be on our way. These easy and healthy granola bars are perfect for just that. Loaded with protein and sweetened with the flavors of dates and honey, YUM!
These healthy granola bars take just a few minutes to put together, with only 5 simple ingredients. They can easily be made gluten-free or vegan with just a few simple substitutions. The combination of dates, almonds, and peanut butter, make this a delicious snack. I often hide, I mean store, my extra granola bars in the freezer so they last a few days longer.
Easy and Healthy Homemade Granola Bars
Course: Breakfast/SnackCuisine: Gluten Free/VeganDifficulty: Easyapproximately 10 bars
servings10
minutes5
minutes15
minutesThis Easy and Healthy Granola bar recipe is a great snack on the go. The combination of the nut flavours with the sweetness of date and honey make this healthy bar into a great treat.
Ingredients
1 cup packed pitted dates
1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup for vegan option)
1/4 cup creamy salted natural peanut butter or almond butter
1 cup coarsely chopped unsalted roasted almonds
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (Gluten-free for GF options)
Some optional additions: Chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, etc.
Directions
- Heat oven to 350º and toast your oats and almonds for about 10-15 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. Roasting time can vary depending on your pan or your oven so keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
- Process dates in a food processor for about 1 minute, until small bits remain. Mine rolled into a ball.
- Place oats, almonds and dates in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Warm the honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until they are well blended. Pour over the oat mixture and mix together with a wooden spoon, ensuring the dates are dispersed throughout.
- Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8 x 8-inch baking dish, or another small pan, lined with plastic wrap so the bars life out easily.
- Press down firmly until uniformly flattened. Really press down and pack the bars. This helps them hold together better.
- Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let firm up in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove bars from pan and cut them into 10 even bars. Store in an airtight container for a few days. I keep mine in the freezer to keep them extra fresh.