Go Go Goji Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bars

Go Go Goji & Raw Chocolate Chip Fruit and Nut Bars

Raw Recipe Challenge Entry

by Deborah Gerylo, Avena Member — Dugald, MB

Ingredients:

1 C Almonds (soaked 1 hour and drained & chopped)
1 ½ C sunflower seeds (soaked 1 hour, drained, left to partly dry on a towel)
1 / 8 t Celtic Sea Salt
1 / 3 C Almond Butter
1 C pitted dates
1 t Agave nectar or honey
½ C Flax Seeds (ground in coffee grinder)
½ C Sesame Seeds
½ C Avena Goji berries – soaked in water (reserve the soaking juice to drink later)
½ C Avena Cacao Nibs –soaked with the goji berries
½ C dried fruit pieces (your choice) cut into ¼ to ½ inch chunks
½ C dried unsweetened coconut

Directions:

Using the S-blade in your food processor, chop the almonds and set aside. (Presoaked the Almonds measure 1 C. After soaking, draining and chopping it measures ~1 ¼ C.) Chop the sunflower seeds until they are finely ground, again using the food processor S-blade (it is a paste like consistency at this point.) Add the Celtic Sea Salt during this step to ensure it is evenly distributed. Add the almond butter, pitted dates and agave nectar and process, scraping down the sides if necessary until the ingredients are well blended and have a consistent gooey texture. Process the ground flax seeds, sesame seeds, chopped almonds, and the chopped dried fruit pieces into this mixture and then add the Goji berries and the cacao nibs. Remove the S-blade from the food processor to prevent injuries and pick up a small handful of the bar mix shaping it into a cylindrical shape, flattening the ends. Roll in coconut. Refrigerate in a plastic container. Serve chilled or as a lunch box treat. Makes approximately 24 - 2 ½ inch long, 1 inch diameter cylinder shaped bars.