Sunday, January 10, 2016

Pumpkin Seed Spiced Cranberry Snack Bars













These bars are the ultimate snack healthy bar, with the best ingredients, honey, almonds, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds ( Pepitas), almond flour, and almond butter, and this have that amazing pumpkin spice added to it, it's just right, the best bar to keep you going for the day, you can wrap them individually and grab and go, or keep them on your counter and eat one a day, but I can promise you this. You can't eat just one. I have to say I will try to never buy a nut bar snack, these are like the Kind bars, and you can make these right at home in no time, so easy to make just placing in a bowl baking and letting them cool, the prep work is very simple. I went onto Sally's Baking Addiction and found and made this recipe and just keep making them, I always have these ingredients on hand, we love nuts, dried fruit, almond butter, and even if you grab the ingredients once you can get a few batches out of these, thank you for this amazing recipe we love it and I know you all will..


I am going to try to develop and make some new recipes for snack bars, I seem to be always running to stores to buy them, when I have been thinking about it, you can simply come up with your favorites and make them into snack bars without all the preservatives just healthy simple snack or granola bars. Also today going to make my favorite of all times, my cinnamon pecans, they are so so good, you can just eat handfuls of them and before you know it they are gone, I have made them so many times I can make them with my eyes closed, I will post the recipe today.. Also made a tender juicy London Broil, with my marinate that I have been using for years, I can't believe I never posted it yet, but last night I made it, perfection so keep an eye out for that recipe today also..Have a great day..












Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup almond meal or homemade ground almonds into a flour, just pulse until powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 Tablespoon almond butter
  • 1 and 1/3 cups whole almonds, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 3/4 cup (shelled pumpkin seeds) salted pepitas

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 300 and line an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper with enough overhang on the sides for easy removal then set aside.
  2. In a large bowl using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix the honey, vanilla, almond meal, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and almond butter together until combined. Fold in the almonds, dried cranberries, and pepitas until combined.
  3. Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan and press very firmly into an even layer. Pack it in tight- as tight as possible. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack for 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 1 more hour, covered. This helps firm up the bars which makes them stay compact. Remove bars from the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into bars. Individually wrap each bar in plastic wrap or parchment. Store at room temperature for 1 week or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. I find they get a little sticky at room temperature over a few days, so the refrigerator may be better, see how you like them.
  4. Make ahead tip: These bars are freezer friendly. After wrapping individually, freeze for up to 3 months and thaw before enjoying.





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