No-Bake Vegan Granola Bars

I’ve never been a huge granola fan due to the large amounts of sugar usually found in packaged versions, and I’ve also never made my own due to my unyielding insatiable love for oatmeal, yet I found myself with a huge bag of oats so I thought why not? The result was the perfect post-run snack for me today as it is packed with complex carbohydrates, and plant proteins. Of course you can pretty much swap in any ingredients you have handy but I found the combination of coconut, goji berries, and pumpkin seeds perfectly delicious.

Makes 6 bars

Ingredients:

100g oats
1 medium-large ripe banana
3 tbsp melted coconut oil
2 heaped tbsp desiccated coconut
2 heaped tbsp goji berries
2 heaped tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp rice malt syrup/other liquid sweetener (optional, if you like it sweet add more to taste)
A pinch of sea salt

What to do:

1. Blend the banana and coconut oil together until smooth (alternative mash together)
2. Add the desiccated coconut, goji berries, pumpkin seeds, salt, and maca and pulse to chop up the ingredients just a little
3. Place the oats in a bowl and then add the mix from the blender/food processor, along with the liquid sweetener if using, and mix well
4. Place the mixture into a lined or non-stick tin and press down firmly and evenly
5. Keep in the freezer for at least half an hour, and then cut into individual bars and store in the fridge for up to a week