My "Kind" of Bars

If you've seen the price of snack bars in the store, you'll thank me for this recipe that saves you money, does not require baking, is healthy & delicious and has no fillers, gunk or stabilizers.  Plus it's totally adaptable to the things you want to have in your snack bar so my kind of bar can become your kind of bar too.  Use what you love in these bars.

I am a snacker, and so typically have a stash of healthy-ish bars in my desk at any given moment. I also keep a large canister of them on the kitchen island, so that my husband and I can grab a healthy snack on the go.

EASY INGREDIENTS & YOU CAN ADAPT TO YOUR PREFERENCES

As I start to pay closer and closer attention to ingredients as listed on the snack bars, even those that I considered to be the most healthy came in incredibly short, adding many ingredients that I do not want in my body.
Not only do they have things that are not naturally occurring and difficult to pronounce, the price of said bars continues to escalate along with other grocery items.  I had to draw the line somewhere.

I have been making these bars for many years, but had simply gotten away from the practice and so decided it was high time to start making our own bars again.

This is an easy no bake recipe, simply requiring you to boil maple syrup and honey for a bit, then pour it over your nut mixture of choice,  Feel free to add in dried fruits or even some decadent dark chocolate chips if you please.

CUT INTO WHATEVER SIZED BARS YOU LIKE

THESE ARE CHOC FULL OF NUTS....AND SOME DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPS □

My Pyrex mixing bowl set is an indispensable part of my kitchen inventory.

Everyone needs a good 8 x 8 baking pan (brownies anyone) & this one by NordicWare if great!

My KitchenAid set of pots & pans is such great quality,  I've had them for well over a decade.

I use parchment paper all the time.  Ensures no sticking & easy clean up.  I even use it to line my Ninja Foodi insert.

My "Kind" of Bars (no bake recipe)
(makes approximately 10 bars)

1. 1 1/2 cups raw assorted nuts (I use walnuts, cashews, almonds and some roasted, salted pistachios as my nut mix). You can also use peanuts if you want.
2. 1/3 cup all natural puffed brown rice cereal (this is optional but helps to fill in the gaps)
3. 1/4 cup dried fruit like raisins, goji berries or cranberries.  This is also optional.
4. 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal or hemp seeds
5. 1/4 cup maple syrup
6. 2 Tbsp honey
7. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I use vanilla paste)
8. 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Line an 8 x 8 baking pan with overlapping sheets of parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together nuts, puffed rice if using, dried fruit and flaxseed meal or hempseed together and set aside.


In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup and honey and bring to a boil, continually whisking for 2 minutes.  Stir in the salt and vanilla.


Pour syrup mixture immediately over nut mixture and stir to combine. Transfer into the lined pan and spread out evenly, making sure there are no gaps.


Allow mixture to cool completely (I place mine in the fridge or freezer to hasten this along then, using the overhanging bit of parchment, remove from the pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into 10 even bars ( or smaller bars if you wish)


I like to wrap my bars individually in parchment or plastic wrap.  They'll keep for about a week at room temperature or longer in the fridge or freezer.