A nutritious snack that starts with a date base. Vary the flavor with playful combinations of seeds, nuts and fruit. For the Sunshine in My Basket variation, orange zest combined with cherries, make a bright pick-me-up on the trail. Potato chips in the mix add a vacation vibe to a sweet and savory chocolatey bar in Salty Dog. And, in Wheely Nuts, mango and coconut add tropical energy to help you keep the get-up in your go.
Ingredients
- 12 Medjool dates
- ½ cup water
- Sunshine in My Basket
- ¾ cup oat flour
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ⅓ cup dried cherries, chopped finely
- 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- ½ cup chopped pistachio nuts
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil, melted
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ cup chopped dried mango
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup cocoa
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup almond butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup dried cherries, chopped finely
- ¼ cup lightly crushed potato chips
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Preparation
Soak dates in ½ cup of water for at least 30 minutes. Adjust water to cover dates if necessary.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line 8- by 8-inch pan with 2 sheets of parchment paper placed in opposite directions and hanging over the sides of the pan.
Process dates and water in food processor into a fairly smooth slurry. Some lumps are OK.
Add ingredients and follow instructions from one of the following variations:
Sunshine in My Basket: Add flour and seeds and process until well mixed. Add cherries, zest, orange juice and cinnamon and pulse a few times to distribute ingredients.
Wheely Nuts: Add flour, nuts and seeds and process until well mixed. Add tahini, coconut oil and maple syrup. Add mango and coconut and pulse a few times to distribute ingredients.
Salty Dog: Add flour, cocoa, nuts and seeds and process until well mixed. Add almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Add potato chips and chocolate chips and pulse a few times to distribute ingredients.
Finished dough should hold together well and be sticky. If it is not holding together add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water and process again.
Press dough evenly into prepared pan with fingers or the back of a spoon. Bake for 25 minutes.
Allow to cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes; then, using parchment as handles, lift the bars out to continue cooling. When almost cool, cut into bars. (Note: Biker Bars last on the counter or in a bag for a few days. Store in the refrigerator for up to three weeks or in the freezer up to three months.)
