Bars for Breakfast to Backpacking

Fruit and nut energy bars of every shape, size, flavor, etc. are ubiquitous in any grocery stores now, but they are easy to make from everyday ingredients that can be bought in bulk. As always, recipes are just a suggestion. This bar features almonds, apricots, dates, pepitas (or pumpkin seeds), but any fruits and nuts can be used, and nutrients can be added like flaxseed meal or even protein powder. The juice that is called for in this recipe is orange juice, but carrot juice is a great alternative. The greatest part of this bar is that there are no added sweeteners, which even popular CLIF bars, for example, have brown rice syrup as one of the leading ingredients. Granola bars normally contain extra oils and sugar, which downplay nutritional content.

If breakfast is always an on-the-go meal or if road trips always lead to drive thru munching, these bars are a must. Feel free to experiment with different ingredients to make a signature flavor. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw or roasted unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 

1 cup raw or roasted unsalted almonds (whole or sliced/slivered)

1 small  banana 

1/2 cup medjool dates (pitted)

1/4 dried blueberries 

1/4 cup carrot juice 

pinch salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Start by rough chopping the dried fruits. If the knife keeps sticking due to the texture of the fruit, try spraying the knife with a non-stick cooking spray. This is also a great idea for cutting cheese and other sticky foods. Throw the pepitas and almonds into a food processor and pulse. Add dried fruits and blend until it mixes, but isn't a smooth puree. Don't have a food processor? Use one cup of almond butter instead and cut fruit smaller. The bars will just have larger pieces of fruit, but still be delicious. Form bars to whatever size fits your hunger. Making 10 bars each bar should be about 140 calories.