Sugar-Free Date Granola Bars

A month or two ago, a friend of ours commented to Adam that she reads my blog regularly, but would like more healthy snack and breakfast posts. 

It thought about this for days, and couldn't think of any healthy snacks at all.  Then, fortuitously, we started our no-sugar challenge, and suddenly, I had to come up with a lot of no-sugar snacks.  

I have been wanting to try dates out for a long time, but was a little afraid of cooking with them.  These granola bars were a terrific snack, portable, and great for old and young alike (Fox loved them!).  

They honestly didn't even need a sweetener, because the dates were so sweet on their own (maybe that was the no-sugar talking... I am not sure).  

Also, feel free to sub in or out different nuts or seeds, I just used all the varieties I had on hand, because I love granola bars to be full of nuts and seeds.  

I would love to hear if there is anything you would like more of here.  I will listen, and do my best to create more of what you like reading/watching/looking at best  Let me know if you have suggestions, whether that be recipe, lifestyle, fashion or video.  

Have a great Wednesday!  

Sugar-Free Date Granola Bars: 

1 cup pitted deglet dates
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup peanut butter, melted in the microwave (feel free to use another nut butter, or seed butter, but they probably won't be quite as flavorful)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups oats
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
2 Tbs pumpkin seeds
1 Tbs raw millet
1 Tbs flax seeds
1 Tbs sesame seeds

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Prepare an 8"x8" pan by greasing it well.

In a mini food processor or blender, combine the dates and water, and blend until they somewhat smooth (you will probalby still have a few chunks, but they should be very small chunks).  Put the date paste in a medium bowl and combine it with the melted peanut butter and vanilla.

In a large bowl, combine oats, chopped almonds, pumpkin seeds, millet, flax and sesame seeds and stir to combine.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until they are all combined.

Pour the granola bar batter into the prepared pan, and press it down firmly with a rubber spatula.  Bake for 15 minutes, then remove and cut into bars, but leave them in the pan.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then remove the bars from the pan.

You can refrigerate or freeze these bars.  They are a perfect breakfast or snack.  Enjoy!