Hello again!

I know it’s been so long…there’s been too much work and travel. But I finally had some time to get back into the kitchen again.

And since it’s January where everyone tries to be a bit healthier after the gluttonous December I decided to make something a little less sweet than usual. I am also in Berlin at the moment, where the vegan and raw trend is everywhere so I felt inspired to make something that fits right in.

So here are my quick and easy, no bake and therefore raw, vegan granola bars.

You can change the fruit and nuts to whatever you like or have at home. The exact amount is not that important either, as long as the total amount is less than one cup.

I am a big fan of dried physalis (also called Cape Gooseberries) as they add a little tangy citrus flavour. I also had a mix of goji berries, cashew nuts and mulberries so added this. But anything goes really – though you may want to roughly chop fruits and nuts above a certain size. 

For around 10 bars you’ll need

• 1 cup (200g) pitted dates
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• 1 cup almonds 
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup dried gooji berries
• 1/4 cup dried mulberries
• 1/4 cup dried physalis
• 1/4 cup cashew nuts

Chop the dates in a food processor on a high setting until only small bits remain – you should get a sticky dough like texture, which may all clump together but don’t worry about it.

Roughly chop the almonds and place them with the oats and dates in a large mixing bowl. Add the extra (chopped, if needed) fruits and nuts.

Warm the maple syrup and peanut butter in a small sauce pan over a low heat and stir to combine. 

Pour the mixture over the oats, almonds and dates and get your hands in there to combine everything thoroughly. 

Transfer the mix to an 20 x 20 cms / 8 x 8 inch dish lined with baking paper and press it down firmly until evenly flattened. I used the back of a big metal spoon to press it down as you want it pressed together tightly, to stick together.

Leave in the freezer for 20 minutes or at least an hour in the fridge and chop it into 10 bars. 

You can easily store the bars in an air tight container in the fridge for a few days!