Healthier Granola Bars

lighter date-and-honey granola bars

Makes 12 bars · 137 kcal per serving

Ingredients

• 200 g Rolled Oats
• 56 g Sunflower Seeds
• 32 g Date Paste
• 32 g Honey
• 24 g Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 20 g Peanut Butter
• 20 g Flaxseed, Ground
• 5 g Vanilla Extract
• 2 g Salt

Method

1. 1. If date paste is unavailable, blend pitted dates with a splash of hot water until smooth.
2. 2. Toast the oats and sunflower seeds at 350°F ~10 min, until fragrant.
3. 3. Gently warm the date paste, honey, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt into a smooth, sticky binder.
4. 4. Stir in the toasted oats, seeds, and flax until coated; let cool ~5 min, then fold in the chocolate chips.
5. 5. Press very firmly into a parchment-lined 8×8 pan; pack it down hard, since there's less binder to hold it.
6. 6. Chill until firm, at least 1 h, then lift out and cut.
7. 7. Keep refrigerated; they're softer and stickier than the classic.