Power Squares

I should be packing for my Duluth bike trip tomorrow - but instead I am thinking about the food we will be eating, the hazelnut no-need-to-refrigerate cream I discovered, homemade granola bars, and also these. They are kind of like the bird bars at the co-op, only better because there is dried fruit. They are also wheat-free, and there is no baking involved - which makes them especially nice to prepare in an un-air-conditioned house when it is 95 degrees or some such hotness. They are now wrapped up in wax paper, ready to supply some fuel for the hot biking days ahead!

This recipe is from rebar - a restaurant (and cookbook) that makes good, not so sweet, whole food types of recipes:
3/4 c. dried apricots, cut into pieces
3/4 c. dried apple
4 brown rice cakes
1 c. unsweetened coconut
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1/2 c. pumpkin seeds
1/3 c. sesame seeds
1/2 c. rolled oats
1 1/4 c. fruit sweetener*
1/2 c. natural peanut butter, slightly warmed

*Fruit sweetener is hard to find - but it turns out apple juice concentrate works. I used a combo of barley malt syrup and honey to equal the same amount of fruit sweetener, and they taste great.

1. In food processor, pulse apricots, apples and rice cakes to a fine texture. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
2. Pulse coconut, seeds, and oats to roughly combine. Add to the fruit mixture, along with sweetener and peanut butter. Mix everything together until well combined. Cover and chill dough for at least 1 hour.
3. Roll/press the dough into balls or small squares. Press/roll in toasted sesame seeds to coat. *The recipe also says to refrigerate - but i wonder if that is due to the fruit sweetener. I think that with honey - you can leave it out. I have mine in the fridge until we leave- then they will be in the warm warm pannier until we eat them all!

Makes 14-15 bars.