My husband and I have developed a version of a delicious, healthy protein bar that we absolutely love. (Thank you Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking for the inspiration!) I’ll say that again: it is dee-LISH-us!
Using four super-foods (flax or chia seed, coconut oil, raw honey, and raw almonds) and gluten-free, these bars pack a nutritional punch, and really fill you up between meals. We wanted have a good snack on hand. Several of our family members were requesting something to give a boost of energy through the day.
A great source of protein, these bars are a fun way to get those nutritious nuts, seeds and dried fruit into your diet. You’ll have to decide whether these are a breakfast food or a snack!
Ingredients
2 cups almonds
1/4 – 1/2 cup flax seeds, chia seeds or pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup dried prunes, dates or raisins (we used dates)
1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 cup peanut or almond butter (we used sunflower seed butter)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
1/4 cup honey (preferably raw to add enzymes)
2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 bag of dark chocolate chips in a small saucepan for the topping (we used 2.5-3 oz. Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate)
First, place the top five ingredients into the processor (almonds, flax seed or chia, dried fruit, shredded coconut, and nut butter). Pulse for 10-20 seconds. Let sit.
In a sauce pan, melt coconut oil over very low heat (it melts at 76°-77° so it may already be melted). Stir sea salt, raw honey, and vanilla into the liquid coconut oil.
Add the coconut oil mixture into the food processor and blend until the ingredients all form a thick ball. Cover a 9 x 13 cookie sheet in parchment paper and spread out this thick paste into a thin rectangular layer on the cookie sheet, over the paper. Place it into the refrigerator for an hour to chill or until it solidifies.
In a small saucepan, melt chocolate over very low heat, stirring continuously. Smooth melted chocolate thinly over the base; return to refrigerator for 30 minutes, until chocolate hardens.
Remove from refrigerator, cut into bars, and serve cold. Makes about 12-15 bars. Store in refrigerator or freeze to enjoy later!
I love that these bars are made with raw honey and coconut oil, not with white or processed sugar and a hydrogenated oil; you could even lower that 1/4 c. of honey to 1/5 and still find these very satisfying. We will be doing this next time.
PrintGluten-Free Superfood Power Bars
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups almonds
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup flax seeds, chia seeds or pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup dried prunes, dates or raisins (we used dates)
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup peanut or almond butter (we used sunflower seed butter)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 1/4 cup honey (preferably raw to add enzymes)
- 2–3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 bag of dark chocolate chips in a small saucepan for the topping
Instructions
- Place first five ingredients into a food processor and pulse for 10-20 seconds. Let sit.
- In a sauce pan, melt coconut oil over very low heat.
- Stir sea salt, raw honey, and vanilla into the liquid coconut oil.
- Add the coconut oil mixture into the food processor and blend until the ingredients all form a thick ball.
- Cover a 9 x 13 cookie sheet in parchment paper and spread out this thick paste into a thin rectangular layer on the cookie sheet, over the paper.
- Place in refrigerator for an hour to chill or until it solidifies.
- In a small saucepan, melt chocolate over very low heat, stirring continuously.
- Smooth melted chocolate thinly over the base.
- Return to refrigerator for 30 minutes, until chocolate hardens.
- Remove from refrigerator, cut into bars, and serve cold.
Notes
- Store in refrigerator or freeze to enjoy later!
See the original blog entry here.
Just spent $20 at Costco this weekend for a box of Cliff bars so my son can grab something for breakfast on his way to school in the morning. Hopefully he’ll find these an acceptable substitute. The ingredient list is certainly much less scary!