Homemade Vegan Granola Bars 3 Ways

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Granola bars are a great snack to take on the go and/or to quickly give yourself a boost of energy. Healthy granola bars from the store can be quite pricey, and even then you don't always know exactly what you are putting into your body. The three homemade granola bar recipes I have created below are not only a more economical option, but allow you to know exactly what ingredients you are giving your body.

These recipes combine healthy fats, protein, vitamins & minerals, and delicious taste into compact bars that will provide your body with useful substance, as opposed to empty calories.

I hope you all enjoy these bars, and experiment with your own flavor combinations. The base of each granola bar is very similar, making it easy for you to take the reins on the remaining ingredients. Let me know how your bars turn out by sending me a message or tagging @joyfulvegann in your Instagram stories and posts! I am always open to your guys' feedback, so if there are specific meals that you would like to see more recipes for feel free to let me know!

Stay happily healthy!

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Apple Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook/Cool Time: 1 hr 15 min

Total Time: 1 hr 25 min

Serves: 12 bars

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup peanut butter, melted

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup apple sauce

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 3/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup quinoa, toasted

1/3 cup cashews, chopped

1/3 cup shredded coconut

1 tbsp hemp seed

1 tbsp chia seed

1/2 cup dried apples, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Leave extra overhanging the sides to help pull the granola bars out when they are done.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine melted coconut oil, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and apple sauce. Whisk to combine. Add cinnamon and salt and stir again to combine.

3. Add rolled oats, chopped cashews, shredded coconut, hemp seed, chia seed, and ~3/4 of the chopped dried apples (set remaining apple pieces aside for now). Use a rubber spatula to fold in ingredients until well combined.

4. Pour granola bar mixture into prepared baking pan. Use rubber spatula or hands to firmly press the mixture into the pan. It is very important for the mixture to be packed tightly to ensure the granola bars stay together. Sprinkle remaining apple pieces evenly over top of the pressed granola bar mixture, and use rubber spatula or hand to firmly press the apple pieces into the top of the bars.

5. Bake granola bars at 350 for 15-17 minutes. Allow bars to cool entirely, and then place them in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This will help in making clean cuts to separate individual granola bars. Once chilled, cut granola bars and enjoy!

TIP: keep granola bars refrigerated until ready to be eaten to help them keep their form!

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Oatmeal Berry Granola Bars

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook/Cool Time: 1 hr 15 min

Total Time: 1 hr 25 min

Serves: 12 bars

Ingredients

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/3 cup almond butter

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup almonds, chopped

2 tbsp shredded coconut

1/3 cup dried blueberries

1/3 cup dried strawberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Leave extra overhanging the sides to help pull the granola bars out when they are done.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine melted coconut oil, almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Add cinnamon and salt and stir again to combine.

3. Add rolled oats, chopped almonds, shredded coconut, and ~3/4 of dried fruit (set remaining fruit aside for now). Use a rubber spatula to fold in ingredients until well combined.

4. Pour granola bar mixture into prepared baking pan. Use rubber spatula or hands to firmly press the mixture into the pan. It is very important for the mixture to be packed tightly to ensure the granola bars stay together. Sprinkle remaining dried blueberries and strawberries evenly over top of the pressed granola bar mixture, and use rubber spatula or hand to firmly press the apple pieces into the top of the bars.

5. Bake granola bars at 350 for 15-17 minutes. Allow bars to cool entirely, and then place them in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This will help in making clean cuts to separate individual granola bars. Once chilled, cut granola bars and enjoy!

TIP: keep granola bars refrigerated until ready to be eaten to help them keep their form!

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Chocolate Pistachio Protein Bars

Prep Time: 10 min

Cool Time: 20 min - 1 hr

Total Time: 30 min - 1 hr 30 min

Serves: 12-14 bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup cashews

1/2 cup almonds

1 1/2 cup dates, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes

1/3 cup cacao powder

2 tbsp vanilla protein powder (or protein powder of choice)

1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1 tbsp chia seeds

1/2 cup crushed pistachios

Instructions

1. Line an 8x8 or 9x9 square baking pan with parchment paper. Leave extra overhanging the sides to help pull the granola bars out when they are done.

2. Add cashews and almonds to food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse to finely chop nuts. Drain water from dates and add to food processor/blender. Pulse until dates are broken down and mixture starts to stick together.

3. Add cacao powder, protein powder, almond butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Blend until well combined and mixture is sticky but formable.

4. Add mixture from food processor/blender to a large mixing bowl. Add rolled oats, shredded coconut, chia seeds, and ~3/4 of crushed pistachios (set remaining pistachios aside for now). Use a rubber spatula to fold in new ingredients until well-combined (TIP: I used my hands for this step in a similar way to kneading dough, pressing dry ingredients into sticky mixture and folding over repeatedly).

5. Pour granola bar mixture into prepared baking pan. Use rubber spatula or hands to firmly press the mixture into the pan. It is very important for the mixture to be packed tightly to ensure the granola bars stay together. Sprinkle remaining crushed pistachios evenly over top of the pressed granola bar mixture, and use rubber spatula or hand to firmly press the pistachios into the top of the bars.

6. Place baking pan in the freezer for ~20 minutes or in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours until granola bars are set. Once chilled, cut granola bars and enjoy. Store leftover granola bars in refrigerator.