5 Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Bars Food

EASY OATMEAL BARS (4 INGREDIENTS!)

Steps:

• Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl until it forms a sticky dough. If the mixture is dry and not sticky, add a bit more honey and/or peanut butter; different peanut butter brands perform differently here.
• Add a sheet of parchment paper to a 9 x 9 pan. Place the ingredients in the pan and press it into an even layer. Use a small glass to roll over the top to get it smooth.
• Freeze the bars for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the freezer and use the parchment to lift it out of the pan. Cut into 16 squares or 32 rectangles. Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. You can eat right away, or refrigerate for about 1 hour for a more solid texture.

NO-BAKE OATMEAL BARS

Steps:

• Place the almonds and dates in a food processor or high-powered blender and mix until it forms a crumbly dough.
• Add the oats, hemp seeds, peanut butter and maple syrup and process until it forms a thick dough you can squeeze into a small ball.
• Line a standard-sized loaf pan with parchment paper then firmly press the dough into the pan. Spend a few minutes pressing it in to the corners and flattening the surface.
• Place in the freezer for about 1 hour to firm.
• Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan then cut into 8 squares or 6 bars and store in the fridge in an air-tight container.

HEALTHY 5-INGREDIENT GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a "dough" like consistency. (Mine rolled into a ball.)
• Optional step: Toast your oats (and almonds if raw) in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Otherwise, leave them raw - I prefer the toasted flavor.
• Place oats, almonds and dates in a large mixing bowl - set aside.
• Warm maple syrup (or agave or honey) and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.
• Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8x8-inch baking dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily. (A loaf pan might work, but will yield thicker bars // adjust size of pan if altering batch size).
• Press down firmly until uniformly flattened - I use something flat, like a drinking glass, to press down and really pack the bars, which helps them hold together better.
• Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let firm up in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.
• Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 even bars (or 9 squares // as original recipe is written). Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. I kept mine in the freezer to keep them extra fresh, but it isn't necessary.

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Combine the brown sugar, cocoa powder, butter and almond milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often with a rubber spatula, then simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond butter and salt until smooth. Fold in the oats and almonds and stir until the mixture has thickened, about 2 minutes. Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds onto the lined baking sheet. Press a few chocolate chips on the top of each cookie, flattening slightly. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 1 hour to set. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or store in the freezer for up to a month for easy snacking.