My favorite KIND bar has always been Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan. I would eat at least one of these every day. However, once I switched to a Paleo lifestyle, my favorite bars which contained peanuts, were now off limits.
Then to add insult to injury, I read the label. Not only do my beloved bars contain peanuts but also a bunch of other Paleo diet no-nos: soy lecithin, sugar, glucose syrup, rice flour and calcium carbonate. Oh my!
So I was left with a choice: Either spend $27.00 for a box of Paleo-friendly bars or learn to make my own snack bars. Guess what I decided. I replaced the peanuts and cashews with brazil nuts and now I can’t stop eating them!
Yields 12 Bars
30 minPrep Time
30 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
Adapted from The Yummy Life’s Homemade KIND Bars
1/2 cup raw brazil nuts, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups whole roasted unsalted almonds
1 cup roasted pecan halves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (eliminate if using salted nuts)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup raw, organic honey
1/4 cup coconut nectar
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 ounces (1/2 cup) paleo chocolate or chocolate chips
Instructions
- Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the almonds and brazil nuts on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the pecans and bake all for an additional 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Grease the bottom of a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with coconut oil. Set aside.
- Grease a medium mixing bowl with coconut oil. Add toasted nuts, hemp seeds, salt and cinnamon and stir to combine. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the honey, coconut nectar and vanilla extract over medium-high heat. Stir frequently and heat until the mixture reaches 260 degrees F (hard ball stage) on a candy thermometer. Tip: If you don’t have a candy thermometer, let the mixture boil for 7 minutes.
- When the mixture reaches 260 degrees F, quickly pour the mixture over the nut mixture and stir until evenly coated. Quickly transfer to the prepared pan. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan. Press down the mixture using bottom of greased drinking glass or measuring cup.
- Let cool 20 minutes and cut the bars into 12 pieces. Tip: The bars will still be a bit warm but they are easier to cut.
- In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips at 30 second intervals. Tip: Click to learn how to melt chocolate.
- Pour or spoon the chocolate over the cut bars. Or spoon it into a ziploc bag and cut the corner.
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