Blueberry Coconut Almond Bars

My kids are addicted to granola bars. For a while, it seemed like they weren’t hooked on any foods in particular. There were certain things that they liked more than others, but they wouldn’t go too crazy for any one thing. Well let me tell you- that has changed! They’ve recently figured out how to get into the pantry, and they go straight for the granola bars. It wouldn’t worry me so much if they didn’t claim to be hungry at all times of the day.

We’re in a good habit these days of snacking on fresh veggies in that hour of madness before dinner. I’ve also been leaving nuts, fruit, and cherry tomatoes on the counter that they can get to during the day when they’re hungry. But I still wanted to find a treat-like snack that we could bring with us when we go to the park. I’ve made some really delicious granola bars before, but they’re just too sweet for me to feel good about feeding them to my kids on a regular basis.

I happily stumbled upon Angela Liddon’s Glo Bars in her Oh She Glows cookbook, and I’ve been making different versions of them. Using brown rice syrup was a revelation! It’s not as sweet as most things used to bind granola bars together, and the texture is so nice. It makes these bars perfectly chewy. The texture makes me feel like I’m eating a rice crispy treat. They’re a hit with the kids and I don’t feel guilty that they’re eating them.

I wrap these bars in plastic wrap because we usually take them on our adventures, but you could also store them in an airtight container in the fridge (though be aware they’ll stick together if you don’t wrap them).

Blueberry Coconut Almond Bars

Yield

12 bars

Prep Time / Cook Time

5 minutes / 15 minutes

Activity Guide

Backpacking, Bike Touring, Car Camping, Day Trip

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/4 cups brown rice crispy cereal
• 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1/3 cup dried blueberries
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Tools

• Large bowl
• Rubber spatula
• Small pot
• Whisk
• Rimmed baking sheet
• 9-inch square baking pan (or similar size)
• Parchment paper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Toast almonds and coconut on a baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly browned.
2. Line 9-inch square baking pan with two pieces of overlapping parchment paper (see photo above).
3. Combine rolled oats, rice crispy cereal, salt, blueberries, toasted coconut, and almonds in a large bowl.
4. Combine brown rice syrup and almond butter in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until thoroughly combined and a little bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
5. Add the brown rice syrup and almond butter mixture into the oat mixture and stir until well combined.
6. Pour the oat mixture into the prepared baking pan and with damp fingers, press the mixture down evenly. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Remove the oat square from the pan, using the parchment overhang as handles. Place on a cutting board and cut into 12 bars.
7. Wrap each bar in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. You can also store them in an airtight container without wrapping them individually, but be aware that they’ll stick together.