So one day my hubby asks me why I hadn’t made a paleo energy bar yet. It was one of those “Come on honey, how hard can it be?” kind of things…
Oh sure, it’s that easy. Sigh…
Then I smiled and thought, well that is a reasonable request. Why not a gluten-free paleo bar filled with nuts, berries and all kinds of compacted goodness? Nutritious, convenient, better and cheaper than store-bought…yeah I’d like that. Lots of paleo peeps would too I’m sure.
How hard can it be, right? Well for me, it took LOTS of trial and error before this little paleo bar recipe was ready for prime time.
But it was so worth it…I think you’re gonna like this one. It’s loaded with nuts, cranberries and all kinds of awesome flavors. (Plenty of omega-3s and antioxidants are packed into these too!) Toss them into a lunch bag, backpack, briefcase or purse and you’re good to go. [av_sidebar widget_area=’Lockerdome’ av_uid=’av-23m529′]
Since there are zero preservatives in these paleo bars, I’d suggest keeping them wrapped individually in cellophane or a small Ziplock bag in the fridge until you’re ready to grab one. For longer storage, you can freeze and thaw them out later.
My only regret is not making this one sooner. The recipe is super simple, super healthy and super yummy. It’s a portable paleo pick-me-up you’ll want to make over and over again.
Feel free to change up the nuts, berries or spices. There are all kinds of ways to customize this recipe.
For those of you with kids, these are a healthy after-school snack the little ones will love. Because they’re made fresh with all-natural ingredients and no processed sugar, these easily beat out the supermarket brands. For parents, this one should be a no-brainer.
Make, freeze, slice. Eat up!
Ingredients
- here is what I used:
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
- 1/4 cup Medjool dates (pitted)
- 1/2 cup raw honey
- 1/4 cup coconut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Grease an 8X8 baking dish with coconut oil
- Use 1 cup of your nuts, plus the dates (I used the walnuts, pecans and dates) and pulse for just a couple of seconds in your food processor. It should be ground small. (This mixture is the bars' binder)
- Next, in a large bowl, combine the pulsed ingredients, plus the rest of your nuts, shredded coconut and cranberries
- Now in a small saucepan mix the honey, coconut butter, vanilla, spices and salt.
- Stir over medium-low heat until it gets a little bubbly
- Pour the saucepan mixture over the ingredients in your large bowl
- Mix together, using your hands if necessary to combine
- Press the contents of the bowl into your greased pan
- Push the mixture down fairly hard into the dish and make sure its distributed evenly
- Cover and place in the freezer for about 20-30 min
- Remove, slice and gobble
- Makes about 12, 4-inch long bars
- *Note: you can wrap and keep these in the fridge for a quick grab and go snack. They are best eaten chilled.