This is a new recipe that I am super-excited about for a number of reasons:

• It’s easy
• It’s absolutely delicious
• No baking is required
• It’s makes a wonderful afternoon snack with a cup of tea
• Great treat for the kids’ lunch-boxes
• And it’s a good “running out the door, don’t have time for breakfast” snack

I love re-working recipes to make them my own, with the flavours I enjoy.  I reckon this one has now become my top favourite. I hope you are going to love it too.

Grain-free Choc-Cranberry ‘cereal bars’

Makes 16 squares

Ingredients:

• 150 g unsalted butter
• 50 g coconut oil
• 1 heaped tablespoon nut butter
• 5 ml vanilla extract/essence
• 2.5 ml ground cinnamon
• Zest of 1 small lemon or lime
• 150 g raw unsalted mixed nuts (e.g. almonds, macadamia, hazelnuts, pecan)
• 150 g mixed seeds (e.g. sunflower, sesame, pumpkin, chia)
• 100 g dark chocolate pieces
• 50 grams whey protein powder
• 50 g desiccated coconut
• 50 grams dried cranberries
• Pinch of salt
• Sweeten to taste with Xylitol or stevia (I don’t think it really needs sweetening but you can decide)

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter and coconut oil together over a low heat. Then add in the nut butter, cinnamon, vanilla essence and zest and give it a stir.
2. In a pan, gently toast the nuts and allow to cool (be careful not to burn them)
3. In a blender or food processor, pulse together the nuts, seeds and chocolate until they are chopped into small pieces. (You could do this step by hand if you don’t have a blender or food processor.)
4. In a bowl, add ALL the ingredients together and mix well with a wooden spoon until combined.
5. Put mixture place into a square “brownie” tin. Allow to set in the fridge for at least one hour .
6. Once firm remove from the fridge and cut into bar shapes.
7. Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge.

I must just mention that these delectable morsels must be treated with the respect they deserve – they are a TREAT. Don’t let the fact that they are grain-free, with no added sugar, fool you into believing that you can munch down on 3 or 5 at a time. They do still contain calories and carbs – so go slow, savour them and make them last. Enjoy!

Here is  a printer-friendly version of the recipe Grain -free Choc-Cranberry cereal bars.

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