No-Bake Apricot-Coconut Granola Bites

I really didn’t want to turn on the oven though, so I put something together that could set in the fridge.

They actually wound up being quite similar to the superfood snack bars I made when I was visiting Christy Morgan in Austin, and we were trying out recipes from Amber Shea Crawley’s new cookbook Practically Raw Desserts.

I added a hefty dose of my favorite spices – both for flavor and because they add antioxidants and small amounts of key nutrients.

Feel free to leave out of sub any of the spices I used if you don’t have them or don’t enjoy them, but spices really do add a lot! Check out this NutritionFacts.org video: Antioxidants In A Pinch

There’s also a huge variety of nuts and seeds in these granola bites, which bring various minerals along with the healthy fats that help you absorb those minerals.

You can also swap any nuts or seeds or leave some out if you don’t have one – but don’t be afraid to eat nuts, they’re good for you!

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup ground sesame seeds
• 1 cup toasted coconut flakes (unsweetened)
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup Brazil nuts, chopped
• 1 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried papaya, chopped
• 1/2 cup banana chips, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3 Tbsp molasses
• 1/4 cup cashew or almond or peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 Tbsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp cloves

Directions

1. Combine all nuts, seeds and dried fruits in a large bowl.
2. Pour the boiling water over the oats in a small bowl and stir to combine. Let this sit for a few minutes, then stir in the molasses and nut butter.
3. Stir/press the oat mixture into the nuts and dried fruit until it’s all combined. If you need to, you could add a bit more moisture but try not to otherwise the bars will be too moist.
4. Line a baking dish with parchment or waxed paper, press the mixture into the pan, and put in the fridge to set for about half an hour. Then cut it into squares and enjoy! You could also make it into little balls if you want to make them bite-sized.