Make your own tasty, healthy energy bars for less

(Homesteading.news) Energy bars have been around long enough that we can no longer call them a “fad.” But have you priced them lately? Some companies are pretty proud of their energy bars, that’s for sure, and many of them don’t really taste that great.

While a good energy bar is worth its weight in gold for its ability to get you through your tough workday or be a quick, healthy breakfast, there’s no need to break the bank over them. Also, you can make better, tastier bars yourself – bars that will store for quite some time, too. Today’s commercial energy bars are also full of sugar.

What that said, if you can use a food processor and stir, then you can make your own energy bars. Also remember none of these recipes are set in stone; feel free to swap out fruits, nuts, grains, etc. – experiment!

Good ol’ granola bars

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup whole almonds, roughly chopped

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon chia seeds

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup dried golden raisins, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, plus extra as needed

Preparation:

1. Heat up your oven to 350F.

2. Line the bottom of a 9-inch pan with parchment paper, then lightly spray with some non-stick cooking spray.

3. Combine oats and roughly chopped almonds and pour onto a small baking sheet, spreading evenly. Bake 7-10 minutes until the mixture is lightly toasted. Transfer to a large bowl.

4. As you’re toasting your oats and almonds, combine the butter, brown sugar, honey, chia, salt and vanilla extract seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until butter melts and the sugar dissolves completely. Stir occasionally.

5. Pour the butter mixture over the toasted oats and almonds, then add cranberries and golden raisins [Tip: Substitute dried apples or cherries instead of cranberries]. Mix well, then let it all cool for about 15 minutes. Then add the mini chocolate chips, stirring again to combine all ingredients.

6. Put the oat mixture in the prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula firmly press the mixture into the pan until it is an even/uniform layer. Scatter a few extra tablespoons of mini chocolate chips over the layer and use the same rubber spatula to press them into the mixture so they will stick.

7. Put the pan in your refrigerator to chill for 2 hours.

8. After cooling, gently lift the mixture out of the pan using the parchment paper as handles, lay on a counter and then cut into bars or squares. Serve!

Energy for everyone bars

For this recipe you will need a food processor or a good blender.

Almond & coconut layer:

200 g almonds (1 1/3 cup)

200 desiccated coconut flour (2 1/3 cup)

2 very ripe small bananas (approx 150 g)

1 tsp ground vanilla

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp organic virgin coconut, melted

Chocolate layer:

100 g dark chocolate (70 %) (1 cup, when chopped)

1 small or 1/2 big avocado (aprrox 70 g)

2 Tbsp Sukrin, coconut sugar, stevia or sweetener of your choice (I used sukrin gold)

1 tsp organic extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 tsp ground vanilla

Raw & vegan chocolate layer (alternative chocolate layer):

4 Tbsp organic virgin coconut oil, melted

4 Tbsp high quality cocoa powder

8 big soft pitted dates

1/2 tsp ground vanilla

Preparation:

First, blend your coconut flower until it is almost ground, then add the almond and blend further until you have a mixed coconut and almond flour. Then add your coconut oil, vanilla, salt and banana and blend until you have firm, mixed dough.

Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Next, use your hands to press the mixture into the pan, forming a single, uniform layer. Place in your refrigerator.

Making the original chocolate layer:

Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler. Blend the avocado, sugar and vanilla until it is very smooth in texture. Add the chocolate-coconut oil combo and pulse-blend until it is just combined.

Remove the dough-filled pan from the frig and pour the chocolate blend in a single layer over the dough, then place back in the frig for at least 30 minutes.

Making the raw and vegan layer:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until you have a smooth chocolate paste. If you want a deeper flavor and darker color, add some more cocoa.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and add this new layer; place back in the frig for at least 1 hour. 

Cut into 16 bars, and serve when ready. These are a tasty, healthy energy load without the blood sugar rush.

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