Yields Serves 16
Time: 1 hour, plus 30 minutes to chill. Loaded with good-for-you ingredients, these not-too-sweet bars still taste like a treat, and they'll withstand cold, heat, and being stuffed in a backpack or pocket.

How to Make It

Step 1
1

Line a 9- by 13-in. pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on the 9-in. sides, and coat with cooking-oil spray. In a large bowl, stir together oats, oat bran, flax seeds, flour, baking powder, salt, and dates until well blended.

Step 2
2

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together tahini, milk, egg, honey, lemon zest, and lemon juice until well blended.

Step 3
3

Add flour mixture to tahini mixture and beat until completely blended. Scrape dough into pan and, with wet fingers or a rubber spatula, pat to fill pan completely and evenly (dough is sticky, so you may need to wash your hands a few times). Chill dough until firm, about 30 minutes.

Step 4
4

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300°. Invert pan onto a work surface, lift off pan, and peel off plastic. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut straight down lengthwise through middle, then crosswise to make 16 bars, each 1 1/2 in. wide. Place bars about 1 in. apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

Step 5
5

Bake bars until lightly browned and somewhat firm to touch, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Step 6
6

Make ahead: Store airtight up to 2 weeks or freeze.

Step 7
7

Note: Nutritional analysis is per bar.

Ingredients

  Cooking-oil spray
 1 cup regular rolled oats
 1 cup oat bran
 3 tablespoons flax seeds
 1 cup whole-wheat flour
 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
 1 cup chopped pitted dates
 3/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
 1/4 cup low-fat milk
 1 large egg
 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. honey
  Finely shredded zest from 1 lemon
 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

Step 1
1

Line a 9- by 13-in. pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on the 9-in. sides, and coat with cooking-oil spray. In a large bowl, stir together oats, oat bran, flax seeds, flour, baking powder, salt, and dates until well blended.

Step 2
2

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together tahini, milk, egg, honey, lemon zest, and lemon juice until well blended.

Step 3
3

Add flour mixture to tahini mixture and beat until completely blended. Scrape dough into pan and, with wet fingers or a rubber spatula, pat to fill pan completely and evenly (dough is sticky, so you may need to wash your hands a few times). Chill dough until firm, about 30 minutes.

Step 4
4

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300°. Invert pan onto a work surface, lift off pan, and peel off plastic. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut straight down lengthwise through middle, then crosswise to make 16 bars, each 1 1/2 in. wide. Place bars about 1 in. apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

Step 5
5

Bake bars until lightly browned and somewhat firm to touch, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Step 6
6

Make ahead: Store airtight up to 2 weeks or freeze.

Step 7
7

Note: Nutritional analysis is per bar.

Sesame Date Bars

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