Pumpkin-Cranberry Squares
Have some extra pumpkin puree lying around? Whip up a batch of these crispy, chewy, and satisfying snack bars in under ten minutes.
***Makes 16 bars***
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup raw cashews
½ cup reduced-fat unsweetened coconut shreds*
¼ cup coconut sugar
3 tablespoons lucuma powder
2 tablespoons goji powder
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice powder
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups plus ½ cup all-natural brown rice crisp cereal, divided**
1 cup fruit-juice sweetened dried cranberries
⅓ cup chopped pecans (optional)
DIRECTIONS
For best results, add the ingredients in the directed stage (and not all at once), to achieve optimum texture: Place the cashews in a food processor, and grind into a coarse flour. Add the coconut shreds, coconut sugar, lucuma powder, goji powder, flaxseed powder, pumpkin pie spice, and sea salt, and blitz to combine. Add the canned pumpkin and vanilla and blitz once more to form a wet dough. Add 2 cups of the brown rice cereal and process until ground into fine crumbs. Add the remaining ½ cup of cereal, cranberries, and chopped pecans (optional), and blitz just for a moment to coarsely chop the last round of ingredients, but retain most of the texture.
Lay a piece of wax or parchment paper down on a flat surface, and spill the “dough” out on top. Use your hands to firmly press the mixture into a 1-inch-thick rectangle, compressing as much as possible to get it to “stick.” Lay another piece of wax paper on top, and use a rolling pin to firmly roll the dough into a ½-inch flat layer. Remove the top paper, and re-press together any pieces that may have drifted from the main rectangle. Cut into 16 squares and serve.
Will keep for 1 week at room temperature, or 2 weeks refrigerated.
*Sold at many natural food stores. If unavailable, use regular unsweetened coconut shreds.
**Choose a variety without added sugar, like Barbara’s.
