Paleo Apricot Energy Bars

I've been bringing KIND and Lara bars to my internship every day over the last few weeks. I'm there for about 5 hours at a time and having a nutritious and filling bar at the halfway point of my time there helps get me through the day. 

Both the KIND and Lara bars are made of natural and very good quality ingredients, but that factor can add to the cost of the bars. I decided that it would save me money if I just make my own bars! I have made my own energy bars before in the past and forgot how easy they are to make.

These paleo apricot energy bars are made of a combination of cashews, almonds, dried apricots and eggs (don't worry they get baked in the oven). I personally enjoy the taste of energy bars made with dates more than apricots (those recipes will be coming soon), but these bars are sweet and very satisfying.

These bars are packed with protein from the combination of nuts and eggs that are incorporated into them. The crunch from the nuts combined with the chewiness from the apricot gives these bars a great texture and flavor. They are delicious and will keep you full for hours while saving you money! 

Paleo Apricot Energy Bars:

(recipe very slightly adapted from: http://www.plaidandpaleo.com)

1 cup dried apricots

1 cup almonds

1 cup cashews

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a baking pan with coconut oil non-stick spray.
2. Blend the apricots, almonds and cashews in a food processor until everything has been ground into small bits. Add in the salt, vanilla and eggs and pulse until the dough forms a ball.
3. Transfer the mixture to the baking pan and press it down with your fingers until the dough is evenly distributed. Bake for 25 minutes.
4. Let cool and remove from the baking pan. Cut the bars into 8 squares and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator until needed.