Ellefitness

Lifestyle Bars (From Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook)

(Yield:  9 bars)

½ c raw, unsalted slivered almonds (I used sunflower seeds)

½ c pecans (I used walnuts)

¼ c coconut butter, or 1 TB butter + 1 TB olive oil (I used coconut butter)

½ c natural almond butter

2 TB unsulfured blackstrap molasses

1 tsp honey

Pinch sea salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 TB instant coffee granules ( I omitted this didn’t have any in the house)

¼ c ground sesame seeds (I toasted sesame seeds)

½ c golden goji berries

½ c chopped dried apple slices

8 by 4-inch baking pan (about the size of a bread loaf pan)

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the almonds and pecans on the sheet in an even layer.  Toast the nuts in the oven until just golden (about 8 minutes), stirring halfway through.  Allow them to cool slightly, then coarsely chop the nuts either by hand or in a food processor.  (Instead of toasting the nuts in the oven you can do it in a dry pan on the stovetop.)

In a mixing bowl, combine the coconut butter, almond butter, molasses, honey and salt.  Heating this mixture slightly (either over a double boiler or in the microwave) helps to combine everything. Stir in the vanilla and coffee granules, then stir in the nuts, ground sesame seeds, goji berries, and chopped apple.

Press this mixture into an 8 by 4-inch baking pan and refrigerate until set.  Cut into bars, wrap in waxed or parchment paper, and store in the fridge.