Ooey Gooey Vegan Snack Bars

In the more recent years I have come to discover that snack bars contain a whole load of sugar and nasty additives. Prior to knowing this or even caring about it,  I ate them every day. My favorite snack bar however contained butter and since being vegan, I can't have it anymore; and I don't mind at all as the rest of the ingredients aren't all that good either. For these reasons I took it upon myself to recreate one, with no refined sugar or butter. And after hours of mooching around on the internet, I have found/adjusted a recipe perfect for me!

I am a huge grazer, I will eat at any time of the day for any reason/ no reason at all. Something my father passed on to me. In discovering this snack bar, the amount I snack on in the day has decreased - which makes me feel a whole lot better!

These bars are full of energy and keep you feeling fuller for longer than your average snack - which ultimately means, less grazing...Result! On top of all of this, they're guilt free!

What is in them you ask?

3/4 Cup of Gluten free Oat Flour (Or Rye flour to make them even more filling)
3/4 Cup of pitted Medjool Dates
1 Cup of Water
1/2 Cup of Chia seeds
1/4 Flaxseed
1/4 Almond + Cashew (two of your favorite nuts)
1/4 Cup of Goji berries (or any dried fruit of your preference)
1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon (adjust to your preference)
1/4 Teaspoon of Salt

And the most important bit, How to make them:

Step One:

Set the oven to 325 Fahrenheit or 205 Celsius.

Combine the flour water and dates in the blender until you reach a smooth, creamy consistency. Tip, if your dates are soft skip this, but if your dates are hard soak them in the water for half an hour prior to blending as it will soften them up and your blender will have an easier job!

So many dates, some might call me a player. You may notice these are not Medjool dates, that is because where I live we grow them and I ceased this opportunity to use them. This is the time of the year where they ripen and are ready to be collected. So that's exactly what I did! And since we had enough for everyone and their mother, I opted for using them in my snack bars. 

  

P.s Please do not forget to get rid of the stone! Nobody wants to loose a tooth.

Step Two:

Measure out all of the dry ingredients and combine them in a bowl with the date and water syrup.

Now give them a good o'l mix!

Step Three: 

Measure out grease proof paper to line your baking pan and pour in the mixture. And place in the oven for 25 minutes.

Option: sprinkle your favorite nut on top for garnish.

Step Four:

Leave to cool for 15minutes, slice them in to your desired size and enjoy! (I like mine with a cup of coffee)

Note: for a thicker, crunchier bar double up the nut measurement + add an equal measurement of seeds (pumpkin work best). However I am all for soft center as they make them feel all the more like a naughty treat.