No-bake superfood granola bars - chewy granola bars packed full of superfood ingredients such as chia, pumpkin & linseeds, almonds, goji berries, oats, coconut oil & dark chocolate.
I've been trying to keep fairly healthy this month, and other than gradually polishing off the remains of the Christmas chocolates I've been doing quite well; I'm not dieting per se, just cutting back on the cakes and biscuits for a while. I still find myself in need of a daily mid-morning snack however, something that I can just grab and go and that satisfies any sweet cravings I may have.
A granola bar fits the bill well but I think that when it comes to most shop bought versions they are not actually very healthy (or filling) so you may as well just be eating a bar of chocolate...
So I made my own, and crammed them full of super healthy and filling ingredients. The result? These incredible no-bake superfood granola bars.
These are no-bake granola bars, though I do toast the oats and seeds in the oven briefly, this step is totally optional but it does really bring out the flavour.
I used three kinds of seeds - pumpkin, golden linseeds and chia, and the main base of the bars is porridge oats and puffed brown rice cereal, which is available from health food shops, or I found it in the gluten free section of my local supermarket.
Whole raw almonds add flavour and crunch, and sweetness comes from dried fruit in the form of cranberries, apricots and goji berries.
I couldn't resist adding a bit of dark chocolate, besides, it is full of anti-oxidants. Use the darkest chocolate you can bear, I used 90% cocoa, but anything over 70% is fine.
All of these ingredients are so incredibly good for you but also make for a really delicious combination, and because the bars are quite substantial due to the oats, nuts and seeds, they are actually filling and will keep you satisfied for a good while.
The bars are bound together with a mixture of coconut oil, honey and brown sugar, yes there is sugar in these, but it works best to hold everything together and there is so much healthy stuff in these that I don't think a little bit of sugar is going to do any harm.
The bars do hold together very well and don't crumble at all, provided that you really pack the mixture down very firmly in the tin and then chill them well before slicing with a very sharp knife.
The texture of these no-bake superfood granola bars is chewy, with a bit of crunch from the nuts and seeds, and they are very more-ish!
They are great for breakfast on the go, a mid-morning or afternoon snack, or to take out hiking (I'll be making a batch to take on a walking weekend in the Lake District next month); and they keep well for up to a couple of weeks at room temperature.
I've been finding them incredibly useful to have to hand when I start to get peckish and would usually reach for the biscuits and I'm going to make sure that I've always got a few in the cupboard from now on.
Make Vegan No-Bake Superfood Granola Bars:
To make these superfood granola bars vegan, you can use brown rice syrup in place of the honey. Make sure that the chocolate that you use is also dairy free.
More Snack Bars and Bites:
For more energy boosting snack recipes try:
- Energy Bites
- Chewy, no-bake peanut butter granola bars
- Vegan fruit and nut flapjacks
- Cranberry, pistachio and coconut energy bites
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No-Bake Superfood Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 225 g (2 cups) porridge oats
- 70 g (Β½ cup) pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 40 g (ΒΌ cup) golden linseeds
- 60 g (2 cups) puffed brown rice cereal
- 75 g (Β½ cup) whole raw almonds
- 40 g (ΒΌ cup) chia seeds
- 70 g (Β½ cup) dried cranberries
- 85 g (Β½ cup) chopped dried apricots
- 30 g (ΒΌ cup) goji berries
- 100 g (3.5oz) coconut oil (or butter)
- 100 g (3.5oz) light brown soft sugar
- 150 g (5.3oz) runny honey (or brown rice syrup if vegan)
- ΒΌ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 75 g (2.65oz) dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Spread the oats, pumpkin seeds and golden linseeds out in a roasting tray and toast them in the oven for 8-10 minutes until just starting to turn golden and fragrant. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Line a 26cm/10in square tin with baking parchment, leaving some overhanging on either side.
- Tip the cooled oats and seeds into a large bowl along with the puffed rice cereal, almonds, chia seeds, dried cranberries, apricots and goji berries, mix everything together.
- Place the coconut oil, sugar and honey in a pan, heat gently until the sugar has dissolved then bring up to the boil and allow to bubble for a minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon and salt then pour over the oat mixture, stir until everything is well combined. Allow to cool for 10 minutes or so until the mixture is no more than barely warm, then stir through the chopped chocolate.
- Tip the mixture into the prepared tin, spread it out into an even layer then pack it down very firmly; use the base of a glass to help you to press it down. Place the tin in the fridge to chill for about an hour until completely cold.
- Use the overhanging parchment to lift the slab out of the tin then cut it into twelve slices using a very sharp serrated knife (slice it into quarters the cut each quarter into three strips.). Wrap each bar individually in clingfilm and store at room temperature for up to a couple of weeks, or in the fridge for up to a month.
Amy
I need to make something like this for breakfasts - I always have grand plans that never seem to come off for pre-work breakfast, which means I grab something on the way to work that's not really that great for me and leaves me starving by 10am! These look totally delicious - which is not something I usually say about foods made predominantly of seeds!
Angela - Patisserie Makes Perfect
Hannah these look so good! I love cereal/granola bars and these look delicious.
I will definitely be making these - I'm looking to get healthier myself.
Dariusz Podlasek
GratulujΔ pomysΕu, gratulujΔ wykonania, piΔkne fotografie... Brak sΕΓ³w !!! :))) //
Congratulations idea , congratulations performance , beautiful photographs ... There are no words !!! :)))
supergoldenbakes
These look incredible - probably ten times more so to my very hungry eyes. I haven't done much baking lately but I would totally go for something like this - cut into small squares to save me from eating the whole lot in one go.
Vickie
I love this idea. Store brought granola bars r so expensive & full of chemicals. I can't wait to try these!
Louise | Cygnet Kitchen
I have been cutting back on sweet things this month, its not easy but it does make a difference. I am not a fan of shop bought granola bars, I would much prefer to make them myself. These look so good, great for a snack or breakfast on the go! x
hannahhossack
I have such a sweet tooth that it is really difficult to cut out sugar, I've been trying to swap to things like yoghurt, fruit or these cereal bars instead of biscuits or cake and am mostly managing...it's not easy though! x
Kaila (GF Life 24/7)
I love how you can use leftover Christmas chocolate inside of these! They look delicious as well- perfect for when I go hiking. Happy FF, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
hannahhossack
Thanks Kaila, they are perfect for hiking! I took a batch with me on a recent walking trip and they were an absolute lifesaver!
simplyvegetarian777
Absolutely fantastic share!! These bars look gorgeous and I feel like grabbing one and munching on one! Great recipe filled with good nutrition.
Thanks for sharing at FF 103..
Have fun!
Sonal
Elaine @ foodbod
These look gorgoeus, I love all of the ingredients, I would just leave out the sugar π
hannahhossack
Thanks Elaine π if you omit the sugar you will need to increase the quantity of honey and coconut oil to compensate or the bars wont hold together
Sheila
Hi Hannah, could you use coconut sugar, without them falling apart ?
hannahhossack
Hi Sheila, I'm afraid that I've never used coconut sugar before so I don't know how it behaves. I would take a guess that if you were to replace the brown sugar with coconut sugar and keep the honey (or brown rice syrup) and coconut oil quantities the same then it should be fine but I can't tell for sure without testing it.
Sheila
Many thanks will give it a go and let you know
Jhuls
These look amazing, Hannah! Sound like a good snack/breakfast to me. π
hannahhossack
Thanks Jhuls, they are an awesome snack, I've been eating one most days π
vikalinkafood
These look pretty incredible, Hannah. We have cut our sugar entirely out of our diet for January, not so easy, so struggled to find anything to snack on while at work. I wonder if I can skip brown sugar and bind them with agave syrup instead. Do you think they will hold? I really want to make them.
hannahhossack
Thanks Julia π It's tough cutting out sugar entirely! I think they would hold together with agave but I haven't tried so can't be sure...it might be worth trying part agave and part peanut butter or date puree so it's a little thicker. Do let me know if you try them! x
Justine @ Born and Bred in Brooklyn
I'm also trying to pack more nutrient-rich foods into my diet and these bars sound like a good way to do so!
hannahhossack
They are! They are packed full of nutritious ingredients, and are seriously yummy too π
apsara
Wow, these look so fabulous and professional! I always make baked granola bars. Toasting them in the oven prior to making the bars is a great idea. Bookmarking for the future. Thanks for sharing!
hannahhossack
Thanks Apsara π toasting the oats really helps to deepen the flavour.
nicolasimplyhomemade
Nearly licking the screen, these look amazing! #recipeoftheweek
hannahhossack
Thanks Nicola π
Charlotte Oates
I completely agree with you about store bought granola bars, they're sold as healthy snacks but usually high in sugar, fat and calories, I'd much prefer to make my own and know exactly what's gone in to them. Your version looks delicious!
hannahhossack
Thanks Charlotte π The store bought ones aren't actually at all filling either...but these ones definitely are! x
GA@how to win at roulette
Thank you! Look so goooood
hijackedbytwins
These look so good! Perfect for a mid morning snack x #recipeoftheweek
hannahhossack
Thanks Kirsty π x
Sandhya
Wow! what a spectacular and healthy snack bar! wish I could grab one now:)
hannahhossack
Thanks Sandhya π
Kristen
I love that you describe them as "more-ish"! My stepmom is the only other person who I've heard use that term; growing up I thought she was saying "Moorish", which made a lot less sense π
What kinds of oats are porridge oats? Like steel cut? I'm in the US, so we don't hear "porridge" much. Thanks!
hannahhossack
Hi Kristen, I'm not sure exactly what the US equivalent of porridge oats is, though I think that steel cut is what we call pinhead which are the really coarse ones so not them; from a bit of googling I think that either instant or rolled oats would work, you want a medium sort of flake size. Hope that helps!