The refined sugar free healthy granola bars are a delicious mixture of oats, nuts and dried fruit mixed with peanut butter and agave syrup. So much healthier than the store bought ones!
Granola bars are a staple in my house. My older stepsons eat them a lot when they’re out on sports events or just on the go. Personally, I’m not a huge fan since they tend to be very sweet and pretend to be healthy when they’re actually not. Just by calling them granola bars doesn’t mean they’re healthy, especially when coated in chocolate or a sugary yogurt coating. They often contain a whole lot of refined sugar which is really not great for you.
So when I saw those cool silicone moulds at the shops, I was inspired to create my own healthier kind of granola bar. The package contained a set of two so there is enough space for eight bars. My mixture made seven and those lasted in the fridge for three weeks with us. I thought my 6 year old would go crazy for them! But since he refused to even try them (kids sometimes!), my husband and I ate them happily when in need of fast energy.
As far as the base ingredients of my granola bars go, I used a mixture of oats, dried blueberries, dried sour cherries, dried cranberries, almonds and cashews. Then to stick those ingredients together, I created a mixture of coconut oil, agave syrup and peanut butter. I love peanut butter in anything so naturally I had to include it in these granola bars as well!
These are a bit less stable then the store bought ones so I haven’t managed to take them on the road successfully. They hold their shape well in the fridge though so we eat them straight out of the fridge. I think the reason is that they don’t contain a lot of sweetener or any sugar but I don’t like overly sweet granola bars. And honestly, taste wise these granola bars are top notch!
But obviously the more sugar, the stickier the mixture will be. Sugar makes basically a glue-like substance when melted so if you omit that, you have to find alternative ways for them to stick. Agave syrup works ok but I think next time I would try it with honey instead. Let me know if you try it!
Will you make these granola bars soon? Or how about my Vegan Copycat Pink Bounty Bars?
Refined Sugar Free Granola Bars
Description
The refined sugar free healthy granola bars are a delicious mixture of oats, nuts and dried fruit mixed with peanut butter and agave syrup. So much healthier than the store bought ones!
Ingredients
Instructions
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Chop almonds and cashews.
Add to a bowl together with the dried cranberries, dried sour cherries, dried blueberries and oats.
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In a small bowl, mix together peanut butter, agave syrup, melted coconut oil and salt. Mix well.
Add that to the nuts, oats and dried fruit and mix really well.
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Press into 6 or 7 granola bar forms. Press down really well!
Put in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Afterwards, store in the fridge. Enjoy!
Note
This recipe makes 6 - 7 granola bars.