Kamut-Apricot Bars

Have you tried Kamut? It's one of those "ancient grains" - a type of wheat called khorasan wheat, and has more fiber, protein, and vitamins that your average "modern day" wheat. I've had pasta made with Kamut before (which I also recommend trying- it makes for a nice- and healthy- change), but hadn't tried other Kamut products. When I saw a bag of Kamut puffs at my grocery store, I knew I had to try them. And it got me inspired to try a new variation of my snack balls & bars.

These Kamut puffs are light and airy, but slightly sweet. They actually remind me a little bit of Corn Pops - remember them? Those unnatural, sugary sweet cereal puffs? Well, the Kamut puffs obviously taste much healthier and more natural. In one cup, they have 0 grams of sugar, only 50 calories, 3 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fiber. I thought their airy, lightly sweet taste would go well with apricots.

I basically adapted my previous snack bar recipes- so this is a bit of a mix of the banana oat bars and the date & oat bars, with of course Kamut and apricots added in, plus a few other changes.

Ingredients:

• 1 small to medium banana, mashed
• 2 Tbsp Earth Balance
• 1 Tbsp molasses
• 1 cup puffed Kamut cereal
• 3/4 cup chopped dried apricots
• 8-10 dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 Tbsp shredded coconut
• dash cinnamon
• optional: 1 Tbsp agave syrup (if needed for additional sweetness)

Steps:

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the molasses and mashed banana, along with about 1/4 cup of the dried chopped apricots, and continue to heat for about 5 minutes or until you have a sort of thick jam. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a food processor, mix the oats, nuts, and dates and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the Kamut until well blended. If too dry, add a few more dates.
3. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. If the mix is too wet, you can add more oats or kamut, and if too dry, add a bit of agave syrup or a few more processed dates. 
4. Lightly grease a pan (8x8 or 9x7) and press the mix into the pan. Store in the fridge for a few hours and then cut into bars. Or, form into mini snack balls and store in the fridge.

With this recipe, I ended up with about 6 bars as well as some little snack balls. These were tropical-tasting treats that are great as an afternoon snack or breakfast on the go. And I really like the texture the whole Kamut puffs add to the recipe.

Like other homemade granola & snack bars, these are easy to make and easily varied. Enjoy!