RECIPE: Dried Fruit & Oat Bars [vegan]

These snack bars are gluten-free and vegan. I made these late in Week 2 of the 21-Day food based cleanse I'm following featured in the Jan-Feb 2013 issue of Whole Living magazine. They literally saved me from cheating when my girls came home from school one day and asked me to bake brownies. So glad I made these oat bars for myself instead. So much healthier and now I have a new go-to recipe for a satisfying afternoon snack or workout fuel for those long runs or bike rides!

Dried Fruit Oat Bars

Adapted from Cherry-Date Oat Bars from Whole Living magazine:

Dried Fruit Oat Bars 
Makes 9
Coconut or olive oil
3 cups oats (gluten-free)
1 cup mixed unsweetened dried fruit
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 smooth almond butter
4 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
1/2 cup Unsweetened Pear Sauce (or apple sauce)
1/3 cup maple syrup (or agave syrup or honey)
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Coat a 9x9 inch baking dish with coconut or olive oil. Line the pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Combine oats, dried fruit, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. I used dried cherries, Medjool dates and dried apricots. Other good choices would be raisins, prunes, dried cranberries and dried apples. Let your creativity flow! 

In another bowl, stir together almond butter, ground flaxseed (I grind whole flaxseeds in a clean coffee grinder), pear sauce, maple syrup, orange juice and vanilla extract.

Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

Press mixture into baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and firm.

Let cool for several minutes and cut into 9 squares.

Delicious warm or at room temperature. 

Store in an airtight container for three days or freeze for longer storage.