Rock your World Vegan Date and Nut Energy Bars

I have been unmotivated lately for baking or coming up with good after school snacks. This is not a good rut to be in when you are surrounded by snow and sub zero temperatures outside. We need to feed the brain good food! Today I decided it was time to break the rut. I didn't even look up recipes! I have had a bag of frozen dates for longer than I'm willing to ever publish for the world to see. But they are still good! I learned one day on the television that you can simmer them in water an make a little paste. It was like a light bulb went off in my head. It opened a new world of bars for me! It was the solution to the problem I was actually aware I had. So I went to town.

The Date mixture ingredients

2 cups of pitted dates 1 cup of water 1 cupish of nut butter 1 teaspoon of vanilla

The Dry ingredients 2 cups of oats 1/3 cup of wheat germ 1/3 cup of flaxmeal 1/2 cup of coconut flakes 1/2 cup sesame seeds 1/3 cup sunflower seeds 3/4 cup chocolate chips or carob chips 1/2 teaspoon of salt

The How To...

Add the dates and water to a sauce pan and put on medium heat with a lid. Once that is simmered down and the dates are soft and mushy smashing with your utensil add about a cup of nut butter and your vanilla. (I used Peanut butter but Almond butter or Sunflower butter would be delicious as well) Give it a good stir and remove from heat. Break out that handy dandy food processor and puree the mixture.

While your dates are simmering you will be able to mix all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Then add the date and Peanut Butter Mixture to the dry ingredients. It is easiest to just get in there with your hands and give it a good mix up. Be careful though it may still be really warm.

You can either roll the mixture in bowls or logs...or just put them in a pan. (which is what I did for time purposes) Just make sure and press the mixture firmly down. They stick together really well. Let sit for a few min and then you can chow down!