Five Ingredient Almond Apricot Chia Power Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free)

This weekend Logan and I are going on a little adventure. Well, actually I shouldn't say little. And it's not so much an adventure as it is a jump off of a cliff into the unknown. But we like that, so whatever.

Last year we went to Bonnaroo. Festival aside, our main takeaway came from one experience: drinking fresh, raw, ice cold coconut water straight from the coconut. There was this Hare Krishna vendor selling curry out of a couple of coolers (I'm assuming they had a hot plate). They were practically invisible amidst the flashing lights and noise and bustle of the makeshift shopping avenue that had descending on an otherwise abandoned dirt road. From what Logan tells me, they had a little hand painted sign propped up against a tent pole that read "vegan curry" and "coconuts." Of course, Logan being the coconut water fiend that he is (and also having been burned to sh*t by the Tennessee sun) did one of those cartoon double takes when he saw "coconuts." Ignoring the fact that the operation was haphazard and potentially sketchy, he ordered a couple.

And that's how Logan arrived back at our tent with two almost-frozen coconuts twice the size of his head. I was lounging beneath our pop-up tent, melting into my camp chair. And then there was a green coconut in my lap, with a hole drilled into the top. I was confused, Logan was grinning from ear to ear. I didn't ask questions. Drinking the sweet, refreshing water out of those coconuts in that oppressive heat was almost better than sex. Almost.

Which gets me to my next point. We're gonna do that. Well, I mean, we're going to vend coconuts at a festival. This weekend. In less than 24 hours. That's real.

We're excited and nervous and giddy all at one time. Logan's arranged everything, and with the help of some of our brilliant, motivated, artist friends we're making it happen. The project is called Coconauts, and you'll be able to follow our exploits on Twitter @coconautsva.

So, these power bars. Whenever I go to festivals I make portable, healthy food to take along with me. Being vegetarian necessitates this sort of travel prep all the time, but festivals get the special treatment in that I make hyper-nutrient-dense foods that hold up in heat and cold, need no refrigeration, and keep me going for hours. Not to mention that they generally tend to survive that ice-water bath that all food is subjected to after 3 days sitting in a cooler. Whatever I make, I get as many superfoods involved as possible -- to get all of the vitamins, minerals, protein, good fats, etc. that I would usually get from my meals at home.

These Almond Apricot bars have chia in them (hooray healthy fats and detoxifying gelatinous-ness!). But, heck, throw in some bee pollen or goji or maca or lucuma or WHATEVS! Here are some variations on these bars that would rock:

Almond Apricot Bee Pollen (+ 2 tablespoons bee pollen + 1 tablespoon raw honey)

Almond Apricot Goji Vanilla ( + 1/4 cup goji berries + 1/2 tsp vanilla powder)

Almond Apricot Energy (+ 1 teaspoon maca + 1 tablespoon lucuma + 3 drops ginseng tincture)

Almond Apricot Hemp Turmeric (+ 5 tablespoons hemp hearts + 1 teaspoon turmeric)

Almond Apricot Cacao Bomb (+3 tablespoons cacao nibs +  1 tablespoon unsweet cacao powder)

OH and I try to make my travel food as easy to make as possible. Because who wants to be making complicated food when your packing (and also possible unloading 3000 coconuts)?

Five Ingredient Almond Apricot Chia Power Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Recipe Type: Snack

Author: Renee Shuman (Will Frolic for Food)

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 12

Simple and made with only four ingredients, these homemade power bars are both easy and delicious!

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups soaked almonds, drained (1 cup of almonds soaked for 8 - 24 hours = 1.5 cups soaked almonds)
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1 cup raisins
• 4 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon coarse, mineral-rich sea salt
• Parchment paper or ghee/coconut oil to line/grease your baking sheet

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
2. Line a baking pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper, or -- alternatively -- grease with ghee or coconut oil.
3. Add soaked & drained almonds, apricots, raisins, chia, and sea salt to the bowl of a Cuisinart or food processor.
4. Blend on high for about 6 or 7 minutes, or until your "dough" becomes really smooth and is forming a ball in your processor.
5. Remove your "dough" from the processor and form into a ball with your hands.
6. Using your hands, press your "dough" out on to your baking pan, forming a rectangle about 1/2 an inch thick.
7. Use your fingers to smooth out the edges and level the top (it helps to put a bit of oil on your hands and press on, if things start to get sticky).
8. Bake for 15 minutes.
9. When done, remove from the oven and let cool completely (at least 30 minutes).
10. Cut into 4 inch by 2 inch bars.
11. To store, refrigerate with each bar separated by parchment or wax paper -- will keep for 2 weeks.
12. Alternatively, bars can be frozen (again, the bars should be separated with parchment or wax paper) and stored for up to 2 months.

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