Recipe Monday: Trail Mix Bars

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I was busy and exhausted. I somehow snuck in a 2 hour nap on Sunday and it was beautiful.

Today I’m linking up with Annmarie from The Fit Foodie Mama and Cassandra from Powered by BLING for #MeatlessMonday. Since I’m in training, I’ve been honing in on my nutrition, particularly snacks and energy bars. I’ve also had an appetite of an elephant so I’ve literally been eating all the food.

Today I’m sharing a recipe for homemade trail mix bars. It’s inspired by a recipe I found in the Oh She Glows cookbook. Technique is the same, ingredients are a bit different. Both sweet and salty, they’re a nice balance to satisfy any palate. Plus they’re loaded with energy powerhouses so they’ll keep your energy up for a while.

Trail Mix Bars with Raisins

Ingredients

1 1/2 C rice crisp cereal
1 1/4 C rolled oats
1/4 C almond slivers
1/4 C sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 C brown rice syrup
1/4 C almond butter
1 Tbsp honey

1/3 C raisins

Directions

Line an 8×8 pyrex with two pieces of parchment, each in opposite directions. (You’ll use the parchment as handles when it’s time to remove the bars to cut.)

Mix dried ingredients in a large bowl. Warm syrup, butter, and honey in a small pot on the stovetop, until well combined and bubbly for a minute or two. Remove from heat.

Pour the syrup mixture over the dry ingredients. Use a wooden or metal spoon because it gets very thick and sticky to stir. After all ingredients are coated, stir in the raisins.

Put the mixture into the pyrex and press down with a piece of parchment paper, or with slightly wet hands. Press firmly and make sure the top is even. Place the 8×8 in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Remove from the freezer when set. Pull the bars out of the pan by the parchment handles, and place on a cookie sheet. Using a large butcher knife, cut into 12 bars (or however many you’d like by making them bigger or smaller).

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two weeks, or freeze for up to two months. If you’re planning on eating these on-the-go, wrap each bar individually with plastic wrap before storing.