Kinder Than Kind Bars

Healthy, No Bake, On-the-Go Energy Bars !

I love the ease of a healthy snack in bar form. I stash them in my yoga bag, my glove compartment, and my carry-on whenever I travel. That little burst of protein, fat, and natural sugars can be just the pick-me-up I need between meals.

One downside of bars: some store-bought kinds contain additives like soy lecithin, glucose syrup, and the mysterious “natural flavors” that you can do without. What to do? My friends, we can just make these delicious chewy snacks at home, using ingredients we know and trust! No baking, even—just mix, set, and cut.

The Recipe

Makes 10 - 15 Bars

INGREDIENTS

½ cup seeds (I like pumpkin, sesame, chia, sunflower, and flax)
1 cup nuts (I like hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, and pecans)
½ cup chopped dried fruit (I like raisins, apricots, dates, and goji berries)
½ cup honey
½ cup almond butter
Sea salt
Sunflower oil

TOOLS

Big bowl
Small pot
Baking sheet
Wax paper
Spatula

Directions

Roughly chop nuts in a food processor or pulse them in a blender (or leave whole if desired)
Combine the nuts, seeds, and fruit together in the bowl and sprinkle with sea salt to taste
Melt the honey and almond butter together in the pot over very low heat
Pour the liquid over the nuts and seeds and mix everything together
Line the baking sheet with wax paper and oil it lightly
Spread the mixture out on the sheet and refrigerate it for at least an hour
Cut into whatever size bars you like, stash in convenient places, and snack at will!

NOTES

I like both whole and ground flax seeds, but they provide different benefits. Using whole seeds will give you a pleasant crunch and some insoluble fiber, but using ground seeds unlocks flax’s omega-3s and other nutrients.

You can use less nuts if you roughly chop them in a food processor or pulse them in a blender

Avoid using dried cranberries—they almost always include added sugar!

I would love to hear your thoughts!

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Enjoy!

I’m Elena Singh, founder of the Sweet Science wellness program. I’m a certified nutrition counselor, science-based health coach, and addiction survivor. I help people in recovery heal their bodies and minds so they can learn to love sober life—not just survive it.