Vegan Coconut Apricot Kamut Squares

Since going vegan, I've discovered that just about everything can be made without animal ingredients. Dairy cheese? Try cashews, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Hamburgers? Soy protein or seitan will do the trick. Not only are non-vegan ingredients easily replaceable, but it seems like so many vegan foods were just *made* to be stand-ins. Take brown rice syrup, for example. This natural sweetener is made by boiling rice until its natural starches turn to sugar. And yet somehow, it's a perfect replacement for marshmallows, which are often used in homemade Rice Krispie treats. In my version of these childhood favorites, I combine brown rice syrup with coconut oil, vanilla, puffed kamut or rice, dried apricots, and coconut flakes. The result is a sticky treat that makes a perfect, filling snack on the go. If you're anything like me, you'll want to double the batch--this stuff goes quick!