WholeGrian31 Energy Bars

Chocolate Date Bars 

In my quest for health and wellness the biggest challenge is finding something to appease the sweet tooth.    That is a huge challenge and most protein bars are filled with junk or they are expensive and not really that great.    

Another challenge is finding something that is good for me when I am biking and exerising.   I like to stop at the half way mark and fuel up.  Many things leave me feeling heavy, while these bars actually give me a boost up and help me finish my ride with more energy.  

Making bars like this are easy and you can adapt them to your needs and diet.  I use dates and raisins for the base.  They add moisture and allow them to stick together better.  When I add these two ingredients I don’t need to add additional sugar.  I love to add nuts, coconut, unsweetened, and just about anything I think at the moment would be great.  Sometimes I press things like ginger bites or coco nibs into them after they are mixed and pressed out in the pan.  

The recipe is below, but don’t let that keep you from creating your own and changing it up.   I this recipe I didn’t add peanut butter powder, but it does work well in this type of bars.  Let your imagination be your guide and direct you in creating a bar you will love.  

I mix them in the food processor and press them in a parchment lined pan.  I place the pan in the refrigerator and let them chill down.  I am able to remove them with the parchment and I cut them into small 1.5 inch squares.  I tried bigger and for me it was just to much to eat.  They are dense and wonderfully filled with fiber and good things.   I wrap them individually in wax paper and keep them in the refrigorator in an air tight container.   With the coconut oil, they are oily, cut remember coconut oil in an essential fatty acid and is so good for you.   It will seep through the wax paper.   So if you are carring them in a back pack or something place them in a plastic sandwich bag.  

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.  

Chef Brad ~America’s Grain Guy

Chocolate Date Bars

3 cups dates, pitted

2 cups popped amaranth

1 cup golden raisins 

1 cup hemp seed 

1 cup flax meal 

2 cups unsweetened coconut

1/4  cup extra virgin coconut oil 

1/3 cup chia seed 

1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 cup almond butter or organic peanut butter without sugar.  

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup agave

1 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in food processor,  if your processor is smaller, cut the recipe in half and do two batches.  Process until it starts to form ball.   Remove from food processor and place in a parchment paper lined cake pan.  Press down firm.   Place in refrigerator and let chill.  Remove and dump on counter and cut into bars.  Wrap each bar in a wax or parchment paper wrapping.   Place in air tight container and leave in refrigerator until you need a quick snack or protein bar.