To Prepare the Bars:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  If your oven runs hot turn the heat down to 275 degrees.  It is better for these bars to cook a little more slowly, as it will help to keep them from becoming too crumbly.
• Line a square 8-inch pan with two strips of parchment paper.  Spray parchment paper with Bak-Kleene.
• Chop the almonds in a food processor, using pulse action until nuts are about the size of split peas.  Remove from the processor bowl and put into large mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. 
• Repeat with pistachios, transferring chopped pistachios to mixing bowl. 
• Repeat process again with both the apricots and dates, processing both until the dried fruits are minced.   Transfer to bowl with the nuts.
• Add the oatmeal, honey, almond butter, oat flour, water and salt.
• Using the paddle attachment of your mixer, combine all the ingredients together.  This mixture is very thick and dense, and is almost impossible to mix by hand. 
• Gently press the mixture into an 8-inch square pan that has been lined with parchment paper.  If necessary, sometimes I remove the dough sandwiched between the parchment and use my rolling pin to help spread it out.  Then I replace it back into the pan to be baked.

To Bake the Bars:

1. Place the baking pan in the center of your oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.  The dough should be slightly golden. 
2. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for 10 minutes. 
3. Gently lift the cooked square from the pan.  This can be done easily by using the edges of parchment paper to lift it from the pan.  Set onto baking rack to continue to cool. 
4. Once completely cool, cut bars into 16 equal pieces.  I do this by cutting one side into four equal strips.  Then turn the square and cut the bars into four equal strips again.   ***However, if you prefer a slightly larger granola bar cut square into 15 equal pieces.  I do this by cutting one side into four equal strips.  Then turn the square and cut bars every 1 1/2 inches. 
5. Store bars in an air tight container, using the cut pieces of baking parchment to separate the layers.  This will  keep them from sticking to themselves.