Blend the oats until they form a coarse flour
Mix the blended oats with all the dry ingredients (cashews, cranberries, and chia seeds) in a large bowl
Create a paste with the dates by soaking in hot water if not sticky, then drain and blend to a paste, adding water if necessary
Add the honey, vanilla extract, and almond butter to the date paste and blend until combined
Add the paste to the dry ingredients and mix well by hand
Line an 8 by 8 container and press the mixture in firmly
Refrigerate until firm
Cut into 16 bars
Store the remaining bars in a container in the fridge
