Summer Fridays! Raw "Nutella" Bars / July 8, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Summer Fridays! Raw "Nutella" Bars | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

i'm trying not to talk too much about pregnant life, but it's hard not to when every facet of my days has been significantly altered, and my thoughts about the future are shifting as well. i'm 30 weeks tomorrow and have acquired a subtle waddle, back aches like whoa, what feels like complete memory loss, and an affinity for naps (which i've never been a huge fan of). but i wanted to start this summer fridays series because among all those things i just listed, there are so many quick snacks and hacks i've been coming up with in a pinch that i wanted to share. if i thought the effects of my blood sugar dropping before pregnancy was bad, this new urgency to eat something before i feel like i'm going to pass out or strangle someone is soooo real. but i also thought that everyone could benefit from having some good-for-you food/beverage quickie recipes like this açaí bowl, these fizzy crushed raspberry drinks, or these here snack bars!

i've always tended to stay away from supermarket snack bars with weird ingredients, so i usually stick to my basics which include a variety of chocolate-y, nutty lara bars, but i'm constantly searching for a chocolate-hazelnut flavor with no such luck. then i thought: bars like these are easily made, so i can totally make an at-home version. i love these "nutella" bars for so many reasons, but mostly, mostly because they remind me exactly of a really good store-bought bar. they have a similar consistency and texture, and they're great on their own, but i decided to throw a little raw-ish chocolate shell over these babes, because, why not!? there's something so satisfying about making homemade snacks - i hope you feel the same and perhaps give them a try :)

xo!

raw "nutella" bars | gf & v

these bars can be made with whatever nut you like, or you could use a mixture of nuts. i think a maybe a peanut butter-pecan mix might be really good here, but the options are limitless.

| makes 8 bars |

1 1/2 cups raw hazelnuts
1 1/2 cups soft pitted dates (if dates are hard or tough, soak in warm water for 30 minutes)
3 tablespoons raw cacao powder
1-3 teaspoons filtered water
pinch of fine sea salt

toppings (optional):

raw-ish chocolate sauce
chopped hazelnuts

method

line an 8x8" square pan with parchment or foil and set aside.
add hazelnuts to a food processor fitted with a metal "s" blade and pulse until a course meal forms.
add the dates, cacao powder, 1 teaspoon water, and salt. pulse a few times, stop the motor and use your fingers to pinch the mixture. if the mixture is crumbly add more water 1 teaspoon at a time until you have a mixture that sticks together.
press the mixture evenly into your prepared pan and freeze for 25 minutes. using a sharp knife, slice into 8 bars. drizzle with chocolate sauce and chopped hazelnuts (optional), and store in an airtight container in the fridge. bars will stay good for up to 1 week.

enjoy!

similar recipes:

(no bake) peanut butter + cacao nib cereal bars (gf + v) / March 15, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

(no bake) peanut butter + cacao nib cereal bars | dolly and oatmeal #glutenfree #vegan

i'm pretty sure i've spoken about my affinity for peanut butter, but when i looked in my blog archive and found only a single recipe highlighting one of my favorite things to enjoy, i knew i needed to fix that! my fondness for peanut butter is somewhat well-known to those who are around me often, i've even received a jar of peanut butter and a copy of E.T. as a birthday present one year because my friend knew how much i loved those 2 together. and when i'm hungry for a quick snack i'll grab a spoonful of peanut butter. then there are the days when i'm super lazy and needing that nut buttery fix and an apple and peanut butter is my lunch, or even my dinner. so when i saw these cereal bars on pinterest a few weeks ago, i had the biggest Oprah, aha (!!!) moment. i could combine my fave cereal and my fave nut butter to make the bars of my dreams!

these bars are the simplest and most rewarding snacks that come together and can be enjoyed in about 30 minutes (freezing the bars makes the set faster, which i'm a huge fan of!). there's no baking, or setting, and they're kind of on the healthy side. i used puffed varieties of brown rice and millet, which happen to be gluten free whole grains, plus, they have a super crunchy texture which gives them a rice crispy treat quality. there's also cacao nibs for crunch and some chocolate undertones, and chopped peanuts because that peanut flavor is so necessary ;) they're easy to store, portable, and somewhat filling - all wins in my book! i hope you enjoy them as much as i do :)

xo!

peanut butter + cacao nib cereal bars | v + gf

as i said above, i love peanut butter and really wanted a peanut buttery snack. but feel free to incorporate your preferred choice of nut butter and nuts here. you could also use another crunchy cereal of choice, or replace the brown rice syrup with honey. and if you're wanting more chocolatey flavor replace the cacao nibs with chocolate chips, or melt chocolate and drizzle on top of the bars.

| makes 16 square bars |

coconut oil, for the pan
1 1/2 cups puffed brown rice
1 1/2 cups puffed millet
3/4 cup unsalted roughly chopped roasted peanuts
1/2 cup cacao nibs
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1/2 cup unsalted peanut butter

method

lightly grease an 8x8-inch square pan with coconut oil. line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper and set aside.
in a large bowl, mix together the brown rice puffs, millet puffs, chopped peanuts, cacao nibs, and salt.
in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat, use a rubber spatula to combine the brown rice syrup and peanut butter. heat and stir the mixture until it's fluid and smooth, about 5 minutes. pour the syrup and peanut butter mixture over the puffed cereal mix and use the spatula to combine. mix for a few minutes, until each piece of the mixture is evenly coated.
transfer the mixture to your prepared pan and use the back of the spatula (or, if the mixture isn't too hot, use your fingers) to press the bards firmly and evenly into the pan.
let the bars sit at room temperature for 1 hour, or freeze for 20 minutes until firm. slice the bars into 16 squares with a sharp knife. bars can be kept in an air tight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.