I love having a healthy snack when I go hiking, and one without a bunch of refined sugar or preservatives. I’m also not that fond of overly sweet foods, and I’m a fan of quick and easy when possible. I also love the goodness of dates as it relates to bone health. They are a great source of bon-friendly minerals, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Add to that the fact that they are a good source of vitamin K which is important for strong, healthy bones. I do add some dried fruit to the finished batch for a little sweetness. I tend to stick with dried cranberries or blueberries, but pretty much any dried fruit would work.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 large pitted dates
• 2 cups rolled oats
• ½ cup each almonds, pecans & walnuts (or mix an match as you prefer)
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ½ cup boiling water
• 2 T almond butter
• 2 t. pure vanilla

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Soak your dates in the just boiled water for 5 minutes.
• In a bowl, mix oats, nuts, and salt, stirring to combine.
• Place dates and water in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, like syrup. Stir in almond butter and vanilla.
• Pour the date mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until evenly blended.
• Pour the granola mixture onto the baking sheet. Pat down into an even layer.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Break apart into chunky pieces. Add in dried fruit of your choice. Store in an airtight container,

Also great on top of yogurt or even as a cereal!