There's Nothing Like a Granola Bar!

Finally, my raw vegan granola bar!  This is what I would call a "base recipe" for a chewy granola bar, meaning you can add whatever mix-in's you desire...dried fruit, nuts, seeds, cacao nibs, etc.  

*UPADATE: I'm not sure how I feel about these, now.  There's some tweeking that needs to be done, but I just don't know where, yet.  I'm starting to think I don't like agave nectar dehydrated.  So maybe use all raw honey for the sweetener.  I'll keep you guys posted once I make these again with all honey, and see what that does.*

"Wet" Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
  
• 2 tsp. coconut oil/butter
• 1/4 cup raw agave nectar
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 2 tsp water

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"Dry" Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded dry coconut
• 1 cup dehydrated almond meal/pulp (left over from making almond milk)
  
• 1 cup RAW rolled oats
• 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds

Process:

In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients.  Stir thoroughly.  Set aside.

Trace the bottom of a 9X9 brownie pan onto a sheet of parchment paper.  Cut out the tracing, and place the square sheet of parchment in the bottom of the pan.  Set aside. 

In a food processor, combine all "wet" ingredients and process to the consistency of a smooth nut butter.  Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients.  Stir thoroughly until wet mixture is evenly distributed, and "dough" comes together.

To shape, turn dough out into the parchment lined pan.  Use plastic wrapped over the top to press the dough evenly, and firmly, into the bottom of the pan.  Put in the fridge or freezer for a little it (approx. 10 min) to allow the oils in the dough to firm.  Once dough has firmed, invert the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper, slide onto your dehydrator tray, cut around the edges of the paper to trim off the excess, and then peel off the original sheet that was once the bottom.

*If you do not have a dehydrator, you can cut into bars at this point, individually wrap in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator.  They are perfectly fine to eat this way, but might not stay put together as well as a dehydrated, or baked (if you wish to go the non-raw route), bar.  They will also be easier to cut at this point the colder they are.* 

Dehydrate for a few hours @ 105 degrees.  At this point, invert onto a cutting board and cut into rectangles.  (I think I got 12 bars out of this.  I cut the big square down the middle both ways, and then cut each of those squares into three rectangles.)  Place cut bars back on the dehdyrator sheet, and dry at least overnight, or until the consistency you desire is reached.

I store almost everything in the fridge to be on the safe side, especially since the bars will not be 100% dehydrated at this thickness....hence the reason they're chewy.

Happy eating,

Claire