1 part pitted, chopped, processed (food processor) DATES
to
3 parts any 'dry' ingredients -- dry ingredients can be dried fruits, nuts, powders, or grains
(You could try GF oats if not sensitive or perhaps, rice?)There is truly no end to the combinations of bars you can make, and they taste great! The dates are the glue. I chop my 'dry' ingredients first so as to not goo up the food processor. Though, it really doesn't matter. When making multiple batches, I do chop 'dry' ingredients after dates.
Decide which dry ingredients you like, and put 3 cups worth into food processor. Mixture should be moist and crumbly. Chop it as fine as you like. I don't like big chunks in my bars, so mine are chopped fine. Dump mixture in bowl.
As for your glue, medjool dates work best. Start by halving and pitting the dates until you get to one cup. (I'll use a cup as my measure here, since that's what I use at home). Dump in food processor and chop. Watch the dates. In a matter of seconds they will collect into a ball and slingshot around your processor bowl. Take the ball out now. If you leave it in, the dates separate and are hard to collect. Dump ball onto moist mixture.
Now, knead!! Get your hands all gooey and work that mess in together until it's fairly uniform. Press into rectangular glass/Pyrex dish. Press it down until it's even. I use a Pampered Chef scraper. You can use a spatula or just your hands. They don't have to be perfect. I spread it 1/2 " thick, but it's up to you. Refrigerate for 1 hour; then slice into bars. At this point you can individually wrap them (I use wax or parchment paper) or store them in a sealed container with wax paper between layers. This mixture will make 8-20+ bars depending on how you cut them.
If you use high-end ingredients (cashews, walnuts, dried cherries or berries) that are organic & raw, you'll spend about $12-15 a pan, which equals roughly $1 per bar. If you use cheaper ingredients (sunflower seeds, dried bananas, GF oats), you could spend as little as $5 a pan, for just .30 - .50 per bar. Far better than $3+!!
Here's my favorite 2 recipes.
Mango Bars
1 c. dates
1 c. dried mango
1 c. raw cashews
1/2 c. raw walnuts
1/2 c. dried cherries
Cherry Choco Bars
1 c. dates
1 c. dried cherries
1 c. cashews
1/2 c. ground flaxseed
1/2 c. GF/CF/SF choc. chips
*I rolled these in cocoa powder.
(You could add in some GF oats here and take out some of the cashews or flaxseed)
You can also roll these in whole flaxseed or sesame seeds.
Enjoy!!
