Serve this healthy vegan, egg-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free filling energy snack bars to hungry little fingers or enjoy yourself as a much needed energy boosting snack on the go!
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C. Line a 9 inch x 13 inch glass bakeware with a large piece of parchment paper (enough to have a two inch over hang on two opposite sides).
Mix in the dried cranberries (dice first into smaller pieces), sunflower seeds (optional) and diced apple pieces using a rubber spatula by hand until a well combined batter mix is formed. The batter may look slightly wet at this point, but that is fine.
Transfer this final mixture into the prepared glass bakeware dish (on top of the parchment paper), and use the rubber spatula to press down firmly and smooth the surface to create a layer of approximately 1/2 inch even thickness. Alternatively, if you like, you can use a second piece of parchment paper on top to press down on the surface of the batter mix to get it as firm as possible. (Don't worry if the batter does not spread to cover the entire bottom of the bakeware dish.)
Cut into snack bars then serve and enjoy!
Mix the diced apples and cranberries immediately into the blenderized mixture as the mixture will thicken over time due to the ground flaxseed.
If you don’t need these snack bars to be nut-free, you can also add in 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts for extra protein and to add in an additional healthy omega-3 fatty acid boost. Other options include roasted pumpkin seeds or chopped pecans.
If you don't want to use raisins in this recipe, you can also use 1/2 cup of dates (soaked first in hot water for 10 minutes then drained) as a substitute in this recipe.