Best Fruit and Nut Bars

I make a batch of these almost every weekend to get us through the week. They are so much yummier than packaged energy bars! Let them cool completely before removing them from the muffin tin. They’re a little crumbly when they’re warm.

Best Fruit and Nut Bars
Makes 12 bars

½ cup whole flaxseed (or 2/3 cup ground flax)
½ cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, chopped apricots, etc.)
2/3 cup nuts or seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, chopped almonds, etc.
Pinch salt (two pinches if peanut butter is unsalted)

1.      Pre-heat oven to 325.
2.      Grind whole flax seed in a coffee or spice grinder. Combine with peanut butter, honey, salt, and water in large bowl and stir to combine.
3.      Add dried fruits, nuts and seeds in whatever combination you like. Batter will be very stiff.
4.      Spray 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick spray and divide batter evenly into cups. Use damp fingers to press batter into cups and flatten tops.
5.      Bake 25 to 30 minutes until tops are dry and edges are a deep, toasty brown. (Bars will not rise.)   Cool completely and store in air-tight container for up to two weeks.

Nutrition information (per serving): Calories 200, Carbohydrates 19g, Fiber 4g, Sugar 13g (added sugars 9g) Protein 6g, Fat 12g.
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This recipe is excerpted from Nutrition Diva’s Secrets for a Healthy Diet: What to Eat, What to Avoid, What to Stop Worrying About. Feel free to link to it but please do not reproduce it! You can read a sample chapter of the book here.

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

paty November 12, 2011 at 4:50 am: i will sure be trying this soon!!

Linda November 12, 2011 at 7:51 am: I have been looking for a home made bar (instead of store bought) to make for my husbands lunches. He needs to feel satisfied in a healthy way, and these look like they will be perfect! I can’t wait to try them myself. Thanks so much!

Sandi November 14, 2011 at 8:45 am: Yum! This will be great when my son can’t make it down in time for breakfast. One wrapped in a napkin will do the trick (maybe I can even slip a box of milk in the other one). Thanks for the recipe!

Linda November 20, 2011 at 12:02 pm: i can’t believe how delicious these are! they were all devoured before they had a chance to cool! love this recipe, will be making it a staple in my kitchen.