Paleo Granola Bars

Grain-free, raw granola bars are a delicious way to incorporate raw nuts and butter into your diet. You'll enjoy every last bite...

This was one of the first recipes I tried when I was told that I could never eat bread again... Naturally I was devastated, but these granola bars saved my life. They allowed me to fight another day! 

The recipe comes from Marla Sarris' website Paleo Porn. Marla's recipe calls for heating of the "wet" ingredients. I, however, wanted to keep the integrity of all my expensive oils and butters, so I decided to take these granola bars a step further and make them raw. I also added raw butter to the ingredients. It was only a minor change, but the results were spectacular! 

Paleo Granola Bars

Ingredients

Artisana Raw Walnut Butter

3 cups assorted nuts (my favorite combination is sprouted pumpkin and sunflower seeds, raw walnuts, raw pecans, raw cashew pieces and raw peanuts) *note that peanuts are actually considered a legume and are not on the paleo diet
1 cup dried cranberries (these are hard to find without sugar in them)
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut 
1/2 cup coconut oil (room temperature)
1/2 cup raw nut butter (Artisana has a good assortment of raw nut butters or you can make them yourself!)
1/2 cup raw honey (room temperature)
1/2 cup raw, grass-fed butter (room temperature)

Ojio Wildcrafted Ground Vanilla

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (Ojio Wildcrafted Ground Vanilla is expensive, but incredibly delicious. It takes vanilla to a completely new level.)
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon 

Directions

1. Prepare a baking dish lined with parchment paper for later use
   
2. Break nuts up into smaller pieces either with your hands or with a knife
3. Combine chopped nuts, dried cranberries, and unsweetened shredded coconut into a mixing bowl
4. Pour 1/2 cup coconut oil over the ingredients in the mixing bowl. If coconut oil is at room temperature it will be a liquid and will be easy to pour.
5. Combine nut butter and grass-fed butter and gently fold into the ingredients.
   
6. Add salt, vanilla, and cinnamon 
7. Pour the batter into the parchment lined baking dish
8. Pat down batter so that it fills the baking dish 
9. Place baking dish in the freezer for about an hour or longer
10. Remove contents from the freezer and break the ingredients into your desired size
11. Store bars in a zip lock bag in the freezer and enjoy!

Do you enjoy these granola bars as much as I do? Please let us know below!