Seedy Granola Bars

Ingredients

0 of 12 out on the counter

• 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup raw almonds, chopped
• 10 medjool dates, pitted
• 1 oz chia seeds
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds, unsalted
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, unsalted
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 tbsp hemp seeds
• 3 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp unsalted almond butter
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 350 °F. Spread the oats and chopped almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast 13 to 15 minutes, stirring once, until they smell nutty and look lightly golden. Let them cool 10 minutes.
2. 2Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment, leaving two sides hanging over as handles.
3. 3Chop the dates, then pulse them in a food processor about 1 minute, until small bits remain and they hold together like a dough.
4. 4In a large bowl, stir the toasted oats and almonds with the date dough, chia, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, hemp seeds, cinnamon and salt.
5. 5Put the honey and almond butter in a small pot on low and stir 1 to 2 minutes, until runny. Pour it over the bowl and mix with a spoon or clean hands, breaking up the dates, until every oat looks coated.
6. 6Tip the mixture into the pan. Press a sheet of parchment on top and push down hard with the flat bottom of a measuring cup or a book, until it is packed tight and level. Packed tightly, the bars do not crumble.
7. 7Chill 30 minutes in the refrigerator, until firm. Lift out by the parchment and cut into 12 bars.
8. 8Keep the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week, or wrap them singly and freeze up to 2 months. They keep at room temperature in a pack for a day on the trail.