You can customize these bars and add the ingredients that you like the most. The best is that they are easy to prepare, Vegan, Sugar and Gluten-free.
There are a lot of snack bars out there in the market, but many are loaded with empty calories, sugar or unhealthy ingredients. These energy bars are a snack time staple in our house. Skip the pre-packaged snacks and make these energy bars full of wholesome ingredients. They are very easy to take to the gym, work or school.
This energy bars recipe is a step ahead of the rest for these main reasons:
- Easy to make. They need just 8 ingredients.
- No added sugar. These energy bars are only sweetened with dates, maple or agave syrup.
- They're healthy. These bars are plant based and gluten free.
- Freezer friendly. You can prepare a large batch of these bars and store them in the freezer for a quick and easy snack on busy days.
- They taste delicious. These energy bars taste like a decadent treat.
They’re easy to make in a food processor. You’ll need these ingredients:
Oats. They are the base of the bars.
Tahini or peanut butter for flavor, nutrition and holding it all together.
Soft, fresh dates for natural sweetness (you can substitute with Maple or Agave Syrup).
Cacao powder for chocolate flavor.
Ready to use popped amaranth (or quinoa).
Chia seeds.
Coconut oil. For softness and nutrition.
Sea salt for that sweet and salty twist.
Try and see what combination of ingredients you like better.
Preparation
1. Soak the dates for 10 minutes then drain well before using them. Process the dates and oats together. This ensures that there won't be any large chunks of dates in the final product.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixture and process until it starts to clump and easily holds together.
3. Line a baking pan with parchment paper so it sticks out over at least two sides of the pan. Use your hands to firmly press the dough into the pan. Take a few minutes to press it down firmly and smooth out the top.
4. Bake bars at 300°F for 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Remove the pan from the oven. Do not turn off oven.
5. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes. Using the foil sling, remove bars from pan, transfer to cutting board and cut into bars.
6. Bake bars for another 10 minutes. Let bars cool to room temperature, for about 1 hour.
7. Store the bars in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Final Note:
These energy bars will be crisp the first day, then get chewy when stored the next day. Bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Comments