What do you like to take with you to snack on while traveling? Granola bars and nuts are my usual go-to healthy option that I always have on hand for when hunger strikes. I try to avoid eating airport food when flying, and fast food when driving, because unhealthy food always makes me feel sluggish (and I think it is better to eat yummy foods that also nourish your body)!
During our last trip to L.A., I was fresh out of granola bars and only had plain, unsalted almonds on hand (blah). As I looked through my pantry I thought about @whatdowieeat and decided to make up some sort of granola bar, like Michelle Wie! Being a big fan of chocolate and coconut, I came up with these Whole Almond Joy Bars. Recipe listed below!
They are kind of the consistency of a Larabar, but in my opinion, yummier! And the husband approves (he actually requested that I make them again)!
I was really excited to snack on these during our red-eye out to LA (and back) and sharing them with the girls, but ended up forgetting them in the fridge!!! Luckily there were still some leftover when I got home. They made a great on-the-go breakfast the whole week following our trip.
Here is what you start out with:
Because I like to make a lot at once to have leftovers, I use an ELEVEN (11) CUP CUISINART FOOD PROCESSOR that I bought from Bed Bath & Beyond way back in the day! You can use any size you have and just adjust ratios accordingly. In addition to needing a food processor for this recipe you also need a 9×13 baking sheet and some parchment paper.
Start out with your oats and nuts (you can use any kind of nut you want) and blend! I used unsalted, roasted almonds and some old-fashioned, non GM, oats.
After you have those nice and blended, add the coconut and cocoa powder and blend again! Then add your dates and Blend (dates are great for you if you’re pregnant, by the way)!
Finally you add the wet ingredients (peanut butter, coconut oil, and a little maple syrup for sweetness) and blend until it is all incorporated and becomes a dough-like texture.
Pour it all out onto your pan lined with parchment paper and press everything down really well into the pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or so, then cut up your bars and enjoy!
Give us a shout and let us know what you think of this recipe!
Whole Almond Joy Bars (PDF version)
What you need:
- 2 cups almonds (or any nut you have on hand)
- 1 1/2 cups oats (uncooked)
- 1 8 oz. bag of dates
- 1 cup of coconut
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (cashew butter tastes great in this recipe too!)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 9×13 baking pan
- parchment paper
How to:
- Blend your almonds and oatmeal together in your food processor until it is fine, and well blended together.
- Add coconut, cocoa, and dates and blend until ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add your wet ingredients and blend until ingredients reach a dough like consistency (it will form a ball and start coming off the sides of the food processor)
- Pour out onto the pan and press down firmly to flatten out the dough.
- Refrigerate until bars are hard, cut, and enjoy!
- Store in a plastic bag or other airtight container.
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Hope you enjoy this recipe! Be sure to comment and let me know what you think, if you give this one a try!
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