Homemade Energy bars are some of my favorite quick breakfasts. I love bars that have fruit in them, and these tend to be the most expensive. Energy bars tend to have palm oil, soy products or milk products.

You can make these with things you have in your pantry. There are three basic ideas behind most homemade energy bars.

1- The base of the granola bars: you want oats, dried fruit and a syrup-like a maple or agave.

2- The consistency: Food processor or blender is key here. Although you can do without, it will be hard to combine everything by hand, however, it’s not impossible. Just remember, oats will be tough to chew if not processed or cooked. If you do not have a processor, just buy processed oats and try to do everything else by hand like chopping fruit fine and knee by hand.

3- The others: Whatever you want to add, nuts, seeds, fruits- should be roughly chopped.

Prep time: 10 minutes Refrigerate: 1 hour Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2 cups old fashion oats

10 dried apricots

3 pitted dates

1 teaspoon coconut oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup roughly chopped almonds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Raisins-optional

Instructions:

To make the granola bars base: In a food processor, add oats and process until they are roughly fine

Add, coconut oil, apricots, dates and maple syrup- process until you get a dough- the longer you process the less diverse the textures will be.

Add the processed blend into a bowl, mix in the chopped almonds and seeds

In a square pan, add parchment paper and press down the mixture with a flat surface. You want the top surface to be as flat as possible.

Cover and refrigerate for an hour

Take out and cut into small rectangles or squares

Keep stored in a cool dark place.

Enjoy