Feel-Good Granola Bars by Sivananda Ashram

It’s that time again! This on-the-go snack is packed full of protein and healthy fats to keep you fuller longer. You can choose your favorite nuts or seeds, as well as dried fruit. In this recipe we chose sunflower and pumpkin seeds for their many health benefits: omega 3’s, zinc, magnesium, and antioxidants. One serving is enough to keep you satisfied between meals — and even though there’s no added sugar, it will also satisfy your sweet tooth.

Ingredients: (Yields 10-12 bars)

3/4 cup rolled oats, ground into a flour
1 cup water
3/4 cup packed pitted Medjool dates, dried apricots, or prunes
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup dried cranberries, blueberries, goji berries, or other dried fruit finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F and line a 9-inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way.
2. Add rolled oats into a high-speed blender. Blend on highest speed until a fine flour forms. (You can also buy your own pre-ground flour.) Add oat flour into a large bowl.
3. Add water and pitted dates into blender. Allow the dates to soak for 30 minutes if they are a bit firm or your blender has a hard time blending dates smooth. Once they are soft, blend the dates and water until smooth.
4. Add all of the ingredients into the bowl with the oat flour and stir well until combined.
5. Scoop the mixture into the pan and spread it out with a spatula as evenly as possible.
6. Bake at 325F for about 23-25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then lift it out and transfer to a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
7. Slice and enjoy! (Save leftovers in the freezer for best results.)