5 Minute Pumpkin Spice Energy bars

As many of you may know, I try to make as much of the food we eat as possible. For me that means starting from real, whole foods, and avoiding as many packaged sauces, mixes, etc. as I can. This was difficult in the beginning with breakfasts and snacks since cereal, store-bought granola bars, chips, and packaged trail mixes seem to be the norm.

After a couple years of searching for and trying new recipes, we now have a good repertoire of breakfasts and snacks that I make at home, and we rarely eat breakfast from a package. In fact, Marshall said that muesli could replace cereal and that I didn't need to buy it anymore!

 I've mentioned my sourdough English muffins, oatmeal, I recently talked about muesli,

I've mentioned my favorite homemade granola bars many times,

and you've seen several muffin recipes, including these coconut chocolate chips muffins, but I have a new discovery.

Recently I've started making Lara bar-style bars, and now that I started I wonder why I waited so long. But now is better than never, right? 

I mentioned 5 minute power bars at the bottom of THIS post, but they have a fraternal twin that I just discovered, and I love them. They have a secret ingredient that I've never put it a  bar before.Want to know the secret? I bet you could guess.

PUMPKIN! 

Say hello to a chunky-chewy Fall flavored bar. It's a bar with a vegetable!

These are very easy to make as long as you have a food processor or a powerful blender. I love the combination of the chewiness from the dried fruit with the crunchy nuts. 

5 Minute Pumpkin Spice Energy Bars

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. dried cranberries
• 4 oz. dried apricots
• 3/4 cup pecans
• 3/4 cup cashews
• 3/4 cup walnuts
• 2 T. pumpkin puree
• 2 T. maple syrup -- Add an extra tablespoon or so of syrup or brown sugar if you like things pretty sweet
• 1 T. pumpkin pie spice -- I used DIY pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a food processor or powerful blender and blend until everything is in small chunks (as seen in the picture above). 

You could make these as smooth as your machine will make them, but that's up to you. I'm sure a food processor could get those chunks much smaller than my blender would if you think you'd prefer them that way.

Then press the mixture down into a lined pan (mine was about 8" x 9"), refrigerate for a couple hours, and then cut into bites or bars. Store in the fridge.

Adapted from THIS recipe

The nut and dried fruit types can be exchanged for whatever you have or think you'd prefer. And I'm sure they would be great with chocolate chips mixed in : )

I know the whole food blog world is blowing up with pumpkin recipes this time of year, but I couldn't help myself! I'm just as in love with this fall vegetable as the next person, and there's a limited time to enjoy it. I don't want to miss any opportunity to enjoy pumpkin this season.

Who is with me? there must be other pumpkin lovers out there!