Nut or Allergy-Free Seedy Energy Bars in Skinny Dish!

Ever thought about making your own bars? Eventhough Larabars and the like come pretty close to home cookin’, this recipe will energize your soul, and help you achieve your lifelong goal of turning your kitchen into a food factory. This is an upgraded version of the one in Skinny Dish with hot-off-the-press chia seeds and hemp hearts for superfood power. Use gluten-free oats and sunflower seed butter to impress even your most allergic friends, and enjoy one while you reread why the world is being taken over by food allergies.

Energy Bars

Makes 12 bars
Prep time: 5 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 15 minutes plus 45 minutes to chill
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free

1 Tbsp ground flax seed meal or chia seeds, soaked in 3 Tbsp warm filtered water for 10 minutes until a gel forms
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (or gluten-free rolled oats)
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
1 cup hemp hearts, pepitas, or other seeds or crushed nuts
¼ cup packed raisins
1 ripe banana
½ cup sunflower seed butter, peanut butter, or other seed or nut butter
¼ cup agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, coconut (if using), hemp hearts, and raisins.

3. In a separate small microwave-safe bowl, microwave sunflower seed butter, agave, and vanilla for 30 seconds. Stir together until well-mixed. Add ripe banana and crush with a fork to combine. Stir in gelatinized flax or chia mixture.

4. Press firmly into a lightly greased 9-inch by 9-inch baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes. Chill in the fridge for 45 minutes before slicing.

5. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in individually wrapped bags in the freezer for up to 2 months.

NUTRITION SNAPSHOT with HEMP HEARTS & SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER
Per bar: 210 calories, 12 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 42 mg sodium, 18.5 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 8 g protein, 18.5% iron