Cannellini Cashew Breakfast Bars Recipe

Pantry staples including canned beans, dried fruit, nuts and nut butter come together in a sweet and salty breakfast treat to enjoy all week.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Cooking spray
2½ cups old-fashioned oats
½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
½ cup raw unsalted sunflower kernels
1 cup roasted unsalted cashews
½ cup dried cherries
¼ cup mini chocolate chips
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup pitted medjool dates
½ cup natural creamy cashew butter
1 cup canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup (131 milliliters) unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons (9 milliliters) pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt, for topping

Directions

Before you begin: Wash your hands. 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch pan with cooking spray. Mix oats, coconut, sunflower kernels, cashews, dried cherries, chocolate chips, kosher salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. Place dates, cashew butter, beans, applesauce and vanilla extract in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the blended ingredients to the bowl with dry ingredients and stir.
3. Spread onto the prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with flaky sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes.
4. Cool completely and slice into 12 bars. Wrap each bar with plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Nutrition Information

Serves 12
Serving Size: 1 bar (103 grams)

Calories: 358; Total Fat: 19g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 247mg; Carbohydrate: 44g; Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 20g; Protein: 8g; Potassium: 455mg; Phosphorus: N/A.

This recipe originally appeared in Food & Nutrition Magazine^®, published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.