Oat-Free and Gluten-Free Granola Bars (Clean Eating)

1. Place 3/4 cups almonds and 3/4 cups sunflower seeds into a food processor; chop until nuts are in 1/4-inch pieces, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from food processor and pour in a bowl. Place remaining almonds and sunflower seeds into the food processor; roughly chop into larger pieces, about 1 minute. Mix remaining nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, and dried apricot into the 1/4-inch nuts until fruit-and-nut mixture is combined.

2. Combine coconut oil, honey, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook until the coconut oil mixture bubbles and turns a lighter color, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Pour coconut oil mixture over fruit and nut mixture; stir until granola mixture takes on the consistency of wet sand, about 1 minute.

4. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Pour granola mixture onto sheet; place a second sheet of waxed paper on top of granola mixture. Push down on the waxed paper with your hands until granola mixture has been evenly spread. Pack very tightly so bars will not fall apart.

5. Let cool until granola has hardened, 2 to 3 hours. Cut into bars.

Tips

Any assorted nuts of your choice can be substituted for almonds and sunflower seeds.

Any preferred dried fruit can be substituted for dried apricots.

If you prefer a crunchy granola bar over a soft, chewy one, cook the coconut oil mixture longer.

When placing the granola bars into the baking sheet, you may either use elbow grease to press the mixture until it is packed nicely and tightly, or you can use a secondary cookie pan instead.

Placing the granola in the freezer for 20 minutes can be substituted for sitting out for 2 to 3 hours.