No Bake Date Nut Bars with Oatmeal

Keep that oven off and whip up a healthy snack bar for you family with this recipe of chocolate chip no bake date nut bars.

It is been hot and humid in San Diego these past few weeks. And we are just not used to this kind of weather. Since California has been in a dangerous drought, and there are fires all over the state, we are all a bit nervous this time of the year.

For San Diego, the weather turns hot late in the summer and lasts into fall. So as the kids are getting ready to get back to school, the weather is perfect for pool parties and beach days.

Many homes in SoCal do not have air conditioning since we are spoiled with mild temperatures all year long. Luckily, we do have a/c. But it still doesn’t mean I’m ready to sweat it out in the kitchen if I don’t have to. There has been a lot of grilling and outdoor cooking happening over here this summer.

Why this recipe is so awesome

These easy-peasy date nut bars are perfect for these hot days, or frankly any days you don’t feel like working too hard or turning on the oven. And if you want to get school ready for a quick after-school snack, morning breakfast bar or a sweet and healthy treat for the lunchbox then these are the bars for you!

As a parent, we are hypersensitive when it comes to giving sugar laden foods to our kids. Desserts are an obvious source of sugar that we can easily limit and control.

But what about foods that have sugar hiding inside of them? It’s a never-ending battle that requires a lot of due diligence and label reading.

So when I can, I make what I can from scratch. And this means finding other ways to sweeten snacks without using sugar. Sometimes I use honey and today I am using dates. Aren’t dates full of sugar? Yes, dates are high in natural sugars, but they also are full of plenty of other nutrients too.

Dates have been long adored in middle eastern cuisine. It is common to eat a date with a cup of hot tea. Dates are high in fiber, antioxidant rich polyphenols, rich in potassium and also a great source for vitamin B-6 and iron.

For those of you managing your blood sugar levels still need to eat dates in moderation. But dates are still a great way to naturally sweeten baked goods, bars or smoothies and get the added health benefits that dates offer.

Ingredients you need

• Pitted dates: Choose plump looking dates, not the shriveled dried kind as they are old and more sugary.
• Honey: This offers a different kind of sweetness and helps bind everything together.
• Natural peanut butter: Because we are controlling the sweetness in these date nut bars, use no-sugar added peanut butter. You could also use almond or cashew butter.
• Old-fashion oatmeal:
• Chocolate chips: I used dark chocolate chips which has less sugar. The kids didn’t notice the difference!
• Raisins: I chose plump dark raisins but you could also use green raisins or dried cranberries, dried cherries or chopped dried apricots.
• Nuts: I used almond slivers and chopped pistachios, but you can also use peanuts, walnuts, pecans or cashews.

Step-by-step directions

1. In a food processor with with a sharp blade, blend pitted dates until a ball is formed.

2. Transfer date ball into a bowl and mix in honey and peanut butter until thoroughly combined.

3. Stir in remaining ingredients until fully combined.

4. Coat a loaf pan with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper. Press oatmeal mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Cut into even pieces and serve.

Recipe tips and faqs

These bars are a great way to get a jump start on your day or to help you power through those sluggish, even humid, afternoons. We eat them for a quick breakfast bar when we don’t have time to cook up anything more substantial.

You can wrap these bars in parchment paper and pack them in the school lunch box. These date nut bars also make an excellent after school snack or afternoon pick-me-up.

You know, that time between 3-5pm when you are running out of steam and still have a long evening ahead of you. Cut them into rectangular bars or small squares for tiny hands, either way they make a healthy and satisfying high energy snack for you and your whole family.

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.

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