Grind the oats using your Vitamix or food processor (I ground them in my Vitamix for about 8-10 seconds on medium-high speed). You want it to be slightly coarse, rather than a fine flour. Pour into a mixing bowl and set aside.

Place remaining ingredients (minus the optional mix-ins) into Vitamix or food processor and process on medium-low speed until a smooth dough forms. You may have to stop and scrape the edges or use a tamper, as the mixture will be thick.

Pour the mixture into the bowl with the ground oats and any optional mix-ins. Knead thoroughly to combine.

Press into a small baking dish (I used a 6x8 glass pan) and cut out five uniform bars or roll into balls (makes about 15 balls, depending how big you make them).

I recommend refrigerating them for optimal freshness, but it's not required. Obviously you're not going to if you put them in your day pack. I actually "field-tested" them by accidentally leaving a bag of them in my purse. They were still good after six days ;-)