These cashew bars are really tasty and are actually packed with nutrients, unlike many of the protein bars sold in the markets and advertised on-line. The bars are moist and cookie-like. Think of old-fashioned peanut butter bars--but with cashews--rather than traditional protein bars. Nonetheless, the bars are loaded with protein, and they have a healthy dose of fiber in them. The bars are lightly sweetened with date puree rather than refined sugar or artificial sweeteners. I make the bars in an 8-inch pan in my air fryer to avoid turning on the "big oven." If you'd like to make the bars in a regular oven, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and bake the bars for 30-35 minutes. The bars have a nice, buttery cashew flavor (but with no butter), enhanced with a little coconut taste. We like the bars for a simple dessert with a cup of coffee, tea, or milk, and they also make a nice, nutritious snack. Enjoy!
Low Sugar, High Protein Cashew Bars -- Makes an 8-inch Pan
1 cup of quick oats
1/2 cup of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup of date puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/4 cup of canola oil
1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract
1 cup of toasted, ground cashews
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut
Cashew halves to sprinkle (about 1/2 cup)
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and spritz the foil with non-stick cooking spray (or use baking parchment, if you prefer). Put the oats in the bowl of a food processor and process them until they are ground. Add the beans to the processor and process them until ground with the oats. Add the date puree, egg, vanilla, oil, and coconut extract to the processor and process them into the oat/bean mixture until everything is mixed. Add the ground cashews, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and pulse them into the wet mixture until incorporated. Remove the blade from the food processor and stir in the coconut by hand. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and smooth it out in the pan to an even layer. Sprinkle the cashew halves on top of the batter/dough and press them lightly into the batter/dough. Air fry the bars at 315 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown, set, and a pick inserted in the center of the pan comes out with no wet batter attached. You can lift the bars out of the pan using the foil, but wait to cut the bars until they have cooled a little.
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