It is that time of year when it seems like I am running non-stop every day. To keep my energy up, I try to carry some healthier snacks with me. This is one of them.

When looking for a pick-me-up to take to a late afternoon meeting recently, I searched for a vegan recipe, knowing one of my friends at the meeting would appreciate her dietary preferences being respected. I put together these tasty and quick-to-make bars. I altered the recipe a bit to use the more common ingredients that I had on hand instead of the specialized ingredients that often dissuade me from attempting a vegan dish. The bars were a hit with all the attendees, even the non-vegan ones!

Pistachio Oatmeal Bars

Pistachio Oatmeal Bars (adapted from One Part Plant by Jessica Murnane via loveandlemons.com) Total Time Required: 25 minutes + cooling time, Prep Time: 15 minutes, Bake Time: 10 minutes, Makes: 9 – 12 bars

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups roasted, salted pistachios, divided
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup sweetened, flaked coconut
• additional maple syrup for drizzling

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. In a food processor, process 1 cup of the pistachios, the oats, and salt for about 30 seconds, until a coarse meal starts to form.

Process the pistachios, oats, and salt.

Drizzle in the maple syrup and olive oil with the processor running until the meal begins to come together into a crumbly dough.

Add the maple syrup and olive oil to the processor.

Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan.

Press the dough into the prepared pan.

Coarsely chop the remaining 1/4 cup of pistachios. Cover the dough with the coconut flakes and the chopped pistachios. Bake the bars for 10 to 12 minutes until the coconut is golden brown and the dough is cooked through but still soft.

Cover the dough with the coconut and remaining pistachios and bake.

When it has cooled, drizzle a little maple syrup over the top and cut it into bars or squares.

Drizzle maple syrup over top and cut into bars.

Store the bars in a sealed container for up to a week.

Delicious!

This is a great bar that comes together quickly!  ~Linda

Pistachio Oatmeal Bar (adapted from One Part Plant by Jessica Murnane via loveandlemons.com) Total Time Required: 25 minutes + cooling time, Prep Time: 15 minutes, Bake Time: 10 minutes, Makes: 9 – 12 bars

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups roasted salted pistachios, divided
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup sweetened, flaked coconut
• additional maple syrup for drizzling

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. In a food processor, process 1 cup of the pistachios, the oats, and salt for about 30 seconds, until a coarse meal starts to form. Drizzle in the maple syrup and olive oil with the processor running until the meal begins to come together into a crumbly dough.

Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Coarsely chop the remaining 1/4 cup of pistachios. Cover the dough with the coconut flakes and the chopped pistachios. Bake the bars for 10 to 12 minutes until the coconut is golden brown and the dough is cooked through but still soft.

When it has cooled, drizzle a little maple syrup over the top and cut it into bars or squares. Store the bars in a sealed container for up to a week.