Chewy Vegan Granola Bars

This recipe is amazing! Everything thing I could ask for in a granola bar. I wanted something that was chewy and hearty and I sure found it.  I used a vegan oatmeal cookie recipe and a vegan granola bar recipe as my guide.  I took away, added and changed some ingredients until I made something of my own. These are so good with coffee or tea in the morning or as a healthy in between meal snack.  My daughter loves them.

Chewy Vegan Granola Bar (Gluten Free too!)

1 cup walnuts  

1/2 cup sunflower seeds 

1 cup GF flour or flour of your choice

1 cup ground GF rolled oats

1 cup whole GF rolled oats

1/2 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut

1/2 tsp baking soda

3.5 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 Flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax seed + 3 tablespoons water)

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons almond milk

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 chopped dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350.

Toast walnuts and sunflower seeds in a 350 oven for 10 minutes.  Watch so they don't burn. Grind toasted walnuts and sunflower seeds in a food processor until it resembles cornmeal.  Don't make nut butter!

Mix together walnut and sunflower seed meal, GF flour, ground oats, whole oats, coconut, and baking soda.

 

In a stand mixer beat together brown sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil, flax egg, vanilla and almond milk. Slowly added in dry ingredients and mix well.  Stir in raisins and dried cherries.

Pour mixture into an oiled and lined 9in x 9in pan. This size pan makes nice thick bars so if you want thinner bars then choose one slightly bigger. Lining with parchment paper is very helpful with removing the Granola bar whole so that it can be cut into smaller squares on a cutting board.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or till the top starts to golden a bit.