Chunks of dried fruit, nuts, and seeds pack this delicious recipe for Raw Vegan Trail Mix Energy bars. Gluten-free oats, dates, and apple give you plant-based energy without any refined flours or sugars. These make the perfect healthy snack for breakfast, after school, or before a workout.
How to Make Healthy, Plant-Based Energy Bars
Making homemade vegan energy bars is incredibly easy and a great way to ensure that your plant-based snacks are made with nutritious ingredients. Basically, you put all of your ingredients in a food processor, give it a whirl, drizzle in some water until everything clumps together, and you’re ready to go! Once you have the mixture done, you just have to press the bars into a pan, let them set, and then cut them into whatever size you like.
There are endless variations for plant-based energy bars. You can experiment with different types of dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and added flavors like cinnamon and vanilla. This recipe for raw vegan trail mix bars gives you all of the flavors of a classic trail mix in a portable, plant-based bar. Unlike store-bought bars that might contain refined sugars, oils, and artificial flavors, these bars are made with real, whole foods ingredients: a naturally healthy snack.
If you like this vegan recipe, you should check out some of my other variations: Peanut Butter and Jelly Chewy Energy Bites, Raw Gluten-Free Trail Mix Energy Bars, Mayan Raw Cacao Chia Energy Balls, and Easy Vegan Chocolate Coconut Oat Balls.If you like these, you’ll also like Gluten-Free Muesli Breakfast Cookies, Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies, and Vegan No-Bake Lemon Poppy Seed Bars.
Ingredients for Raw Vegan Trail Mix Energy Bars
The recipe for these raw vegan trail mix energy bars contains a wide assortment of dried fruits, nuts, and oats. While the ingredient list is long, you can find many of these items in the bulk section of your grocery — which means you can buy just as much as you need.
- Rolled Oats: You can use either rolled oats, old-fashioned oats, or quick-cooking (instant) oats.
- Brazil Nuts: Brazil nuts are a whole foods source of selenium, and essential nutrient.
- Pumpkin Seeds: Be sure to use raw, unsalted, shelled pumpkin seeds for this recipe.
- Shelled Pistachios: Look for raw, shelled, unsalted pistachios. If you can’t find them, find the shelled pistachios with the least amount of salt. Avoid any flavored pistachios.
- Raw Cashews: Unroasted (Raw) cashews add rich, neutral flavor to these bars. Avoid cashews that have been roasted or have salt added.
- Raw Sunflower Seeds: Sunflower seeds are a healthy source of Vitamin E and Magnesium, two essential nutrients. Be sure to choose raw, unsalted sunflower seeds.
- Dried Cranberries: Dried cranberries add a pop of color and sweet flavor. They are often sweetened with either sugar or apple juice. If possible, look for unsweetened dried cranberries or juice-sweetened. Avoid fresh cranberries, which are way too tart. You can also substitute with dried cherries.
- Apple: Any variety of fresh apple will work. The apple adds moisture and a touch of sweetness
- Dried Pitted Dates: Dried dates add natural, whole foods sweetness to many of my plant-based recipes. They’re a healthy source of fiber and potassium. Choose pitted deglet noor dates for ease and budget.
- Ground Flaxseed Meal: Ground flaxseed meal works as a binder for the energy bars and adds essential Omega-3 fatty acids. You can swap out with chia seeds.
- Ground Cinnamon: A touch of cinnamon adds a warming flavor to the bars
- Dash of Salt: You can omit this if you’re trying to reduce your salt intake
Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips
No Refined Sugar or Syrup? I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories. These cookies don’t use any refined sugar, maple syrup, or other refined sweetener. Dried dates, banana, and dried fruits provide sweetness, along with healthy fiber and essential nutrients.
Gluten-Free Celiac: Oats are naturally gluten-free, but they can processed in a facility near wheat. If this is a concern, check for “Certified Gluten-Free” oats.
Weigh Your Ingredients: For precise measuring and consistent results, always weigh your ingredients. A small kitchen scale makes this easy to do. This will save you time and give you more delicious muffins and breads.
Bench Scrape: A bench scrapee and cutter makes it easy to cut your bars with precision.
Raw Vegan Trail Mix Energy Bars – Oil-Free, No Refined Sugar or Syrup
Print Recipe- Medium
- Servings: 16
- Ready In: 75 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars (one 8×8 square pan)
Raw Vegan Trail Mix Energy Bars – Oil-Free, No Refined Sugar or Syrup
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup oats* quick or rolled both work (72g)
- 1/2 cup Brazil nuts 56g
- 1/2 pumpkin seeds 56g
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios 56g
- 1 1/4 cup raw cashews 140g
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds 56g
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries 80g
- 1 apple cored
- 1/2 cup pitted dried dates (100g)
- 1/2 cup ground flaxseed meal 52g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- dash of salt
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine the oats, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, cashews, sunflower seeds, and cranberries. Pulse together 20-30 seconds until roughly chopped. Remove from the food processor.
- Add the wet ingredients to the food processor: the apple, dates, and cashew butter. Puree until creamy. Add the dry oat-nut mixture back to the food processor, along with the remaining ingredients (flaxseed meal, cinnamon, and salt). Puree to combine.
- Line a square 9×9 or 8×8-inch baking pan with plastic or parchment. Spread the bar mixture into the pan, spreading into one single, even layer. Cover the top layer with plastic or parchment. Place another square baking pan on top and weigh down the pan with a few heavy cans.
- Place the bars in the freezer 1 hour, until set. Remove from the pan, cut into 16 bars, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1/16 recipe (1 bar)
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 16.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 192 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 14 g | 21 % |
| Saturated Fat 2 g | 10 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 4 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 4 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 86 mg | 4 % |
| Potassium 134 mg | 4 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 15 g | 5 % |
| Dietary Fiber 3 g | 12 % |
| Sugars 6 g | |
| Protein 6 g | 11 % |
| Vitamin A | 0 % |
| Vitamin C | 1 % |
| Calcium | 3 % |
| Iron | 8 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats
- Artisana Organics – Cashew Nut Butter
- Nut Cravings Raw Brazil Nuts
- Raw Pumpkin Seeds
- Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Deglet Noor Dates
- Steve’s PaleoGoods, Dried Fruit Cranberries
Discover more from Plants-Rule
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
