Energy Bars, Make Your Own! (vegan, gluten-free)

Shelf life, every processed food you buy has it.  Most of these shelf lives are long due to preservatives.  Processed foods are convenient and that's why we eat them.  But, if I have time, its best to avoid all that processed nonsense and make it myself.  And well, everything I make myself tastes better anyway.

Make these bars in big batches and you can wrap them in an air-tight container and leave in a cool, dry place or the refrigerator where they will last up to six months. Since they are made with dried fruits, which are preserved through the drying process, these bars have a naturally long shelf life. 

The recipe I give here is the most basic for making your own energy bars.  You replace ingredients as long as you keep the dates.  Equal parts dates, a dried fruit, and a raw nut is the trifecta of flavor, consistency, and substance you need to keep these bars together. From there you can add and experiment with different flavors.  The picture above contains equal parts dates, dried cherries, and almonds, plus a sprinkling of cocoa nibs.  You can also add shredded coconut, chocolate, ground flax seed, oats, protein powders, and puffed cereals to the equation.  Make sure to note that if you use oats or puffed cereal the shelf life of your bars would decrease. Whatever your equation for the perfect energy bar, have fun experimenting and enjoy!

The Basics:
1. Mix.
2. Press.
3. Cut.
4. Eat.


Recipe:
1 c. pitted dates
1 c. dried apricots
1 c. raw almonds


Method:
1. Mix ingredients in a food processor until well combined and broken down to a granular in appearance.
2. Press mixture into a square pan.
3. Cut into bars or bites.
4. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator up to 6 months.


ENJOY!