Apple Cinnamon Bars

"They look like crap but they taste really good!" exclaimed my roommate after sampling these bars.

The success of the banana nut bars I made a few weeks ago combined with a fortuitously discovered bag of cheap, grumpy organic apples at the grocery store inspired me to imitate another one of my favorite Larabar flavors: apple pie.

Without the adhesive power of bananas, the "dough" in this recipe starts out a little looser than would be ideal, resulting in slightly misshapen bars. But they hold their (mis)shape perfectly once dried, and as my roommate established, delicious is delicious even if it looks like a wildlife turd.

5-Ingredient Apple Cinnamon Bars
Total Kitchen Time: 25 min. Makes 10 bars.

4 apples
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup pitted deglet noor dates
1/4 cup raisins

Free Spice Blend:
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Process or blend almonds and walnuts into a coarse meal; transfer to large mixing bowl.

Puree apples with 2 Tbls. water. Add apple sauce to nut meal.

Chop dates and raisins thoroughly until the fruit becomes a sticky paste. Combine with apple sauce and nut meal.

Add cinnamon and stir well.

Form "dough" into loosely rectangular shapes on parchment paper and dehydrate at 135 degrees for about 18 hours, turning halfway through.