Carrot Date Bars

Here is a delicious bar recipe free of gluten, soy, egg, and dairy.

Ingredients
  • 5 Tbsp Dates
  • 4 Tbsp Sunflower Seeds
  • 4 Tbsp Cashew Butter, or a nut butter of your choice (Sun butter, almond or peanut)  or any combination
  • 4 Tbsp Pumpkin Seeds
  • 6 Tbsp Shredded Carrots
  • 6 Tbsp Gluten Free Oats
  • 3 Tbsp Rice Bran (optional)
  • 3 Tbsp Ground Flax Seeds or Chia Seeds

**Note: sometimes have to add more dates or cashew butter – make sure that you chop the dates fine before adding rest of ingredients

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Chop dates in food processor until fine (It’s important not to have chunks of dates)
  3. Add cashew butter or nut butter , sunflower seeds and carrots in food processor ‐ chop fine;
  4. Stir in oats, rice bran, pumpkin seeds (Mixture should be sticky but able to form a ball)
  5. Line an 8 X 8 pan with parchment paper. I found it easier just to press mixture into pan versus trying to roll it out.
  6. Precut bars before baking, add melted chocolate on  top
  7. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes

Additions:
I melt mini chocolate chips in a pan about 2 TBLS and a dash of cayenne pepper then cover the bars with the melted chocolate.  You can also Add 2 Tbsp carob or cocoa powder to mixture or other kind of nuts or shaved coconut for variety.  fA few more options sesame seeds; currants, coconut flakes, even goji berries

Secrets:
I found that chopping the nuts/seeds/berries makes a smoother bar.

I sometimes add a protein powder to add to the mixture (1‐2 scoops) – RAW PROTEIN from Vitamin Cottage or Whole Foods.

Substitutions:
Substitute fresh ground peanut butter or almond butter for the cashew butter.