energy bar recipe request

[AnnettaD]

Hi,
I am reading all these wonderful recipes! Does anyone have a favorite energy or power bar recipe?  It doesn't matter if it is baked or raw...I am looking for some new ideas and suggestions of flavors that work together.

Thanks!

Annetta

[SusannahY]

Hi Annetta,

Here's a recipe for a gluten free energy bar which can be adapted in so many ways. You can use pumpkin instead of carrot, apple instead of banana, cranberries instead of apricots and add any kind of spices, seeds, nuts or booster ingredients.

For a vegan version you can forego the eggs & add extra flax slurry for binding.

Enjoy experimenting!

CARROT GINGER NUT BARS

Servings: approximately 15-20 bars
These bars are easy to make and freeze well so you always have a healthy snack on hand. They’re full of fiber, good fats, natural sweeteners and cinnamon to help regulate blood sugar levels.

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups gluten free steel cut oats, soaked overnight
5 dried apricots
1/3 cup water, divided
3 large carrots, roll cut
1/3 cup coconut milk
¼ cup ground flax
1 cup walnuts, chopped
½ cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons shredded coconut, unsweetened
3 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch salt   1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 large ripe banana, mashed
1 tablespoon honey
2 eggs
2 tablespoons coconut oil


DIRECTIONS
1.   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease an 8x10-inch baking dish. Place the apricots in 1/4 cup water to soak and set aside. Rinse and strain the soaked oats and set aside.
2.   Roll cut carrots and place in a small saucepan with water, over medium heat. Steam for about 10 minutes, until soft and easy to prick with a knife. Strain the carrots and place them in a blender.
3.   Mix the remaining water with the ground flax to create a slurry. Strain the apricots. Add the flax slurry, apricots and coconut milk into the blender with the carrots and blend into a smooth puree.
4.   In a medium mixing bowl combine the remaining dry ingredients - walnuts, almonds, coconut, cinnamon and salt and mix well.

Add the oats, pureed carrot mixture, ginger, banana, honey, eggs, and coconut oil and combine thoroughly. Pour the mixture in the baking dish and bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown. Remove it from the oven and it allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

[AnnettaD]

Hi Susannah,

Thanks so much for the recipe! It looks great and I love all the options!

Annetta

[DianaA]

Hi,

This is one of my favorite raw energy bars. I make it before long training sessions. It is based off of a recipe from vegan triathlete Brendan Brazier.

Chocolate Blueberry Energy Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh or soaked dried dates
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup blueberries
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup hemp protein
1/4 cup unhulled sesame seeds
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
Sea salt to taste
1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries

Directions:
In a food processor, process all ingredients except frozen blueberries. Remove mixture from processor and put on a clean surface. Lay frozen blueberries on surface and knead mixture into blueberries. Flatten mixture on the clean surface with your hands. Place plastic wrap over top; with a rolling pin, roll mixture to desired bar thickness. Cut mixture into bars. Alternatively, form mixture into a brick; cut as though slicing bread. As the bars dry, they become easier to handle. For added convenience, make extra batches and store in freezer for future snacks.

Hope this helps!

[AnnettaD]

  Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe!

  blueberries, chocolate and lemon!  LOVE IT!

[TiffanyO]

Hi,

I'm a Lara Bar lover. This is my version.

1/4 cup Pecans
1/3 cup of almonds
1 tbs of ground flax
2 tbs of unsweetened coconut flakes
4 dates

Optional: Cinnamon
 
Take the seeds out of the dates and put them in a food processor. Process until it turns into a paste. Put date paste into a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until finely chopped than add to date paste and mash together. This makes 3-4 bars depending on how big you want your bars. Keep in fridge. Enjoy.

[RachelSh]

I've never actually tried these, but the recipe was given to me by a friend and they look fantastic

Pumpkin Oat Breakfast Bars
(make ahead for quick breakfast or breakfast that must travel with you)
3/4 cup pumpkin purée (can be canned)
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter or ghee at room temperature
1 large or 2 small ripe bananas
1/4 cup honey
2 cups rolled oats (soak in warm water for 5 minutes, drain well)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (can use walnuts or sunflower seeds)
2 Tbsp shredded coconut, unsweetened
1/4 cup oat bran (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
pinch of Celtic sea salt
1 Tbsp grated orange rind from an organic orange (optional)
1/4 cup dried currants
1/4 cup dried blueberries, wild
Measure out the 2 cups of oats and pour just enough warm water over them to cover them. Soak for about 5 minutes while you’re mixing up the wet ingredients. (Skip this step if you’re using quick oats.) In a mixing bowl, stir together the pumpkin, eggs, butter or ghee, honey and banana. You may want to mash the banana before adding to the bowl if it’s not really soft. Before adding the oats, drain them well. Add the oats, nuts, coconut, oat bran, cinnamon, salt, orange rind, currants and blueberries, and stir until ingredients are well combined.
Spread mixture into a lightly greased (butter, ghee or coconut oil) pan so the batter is no more than an inch or two deep. An 8” x 10” baking dish works well. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until it’s beginning to brown. If they fall apart when you cut them into bars, you might try baking for about 10 minutes longer. For very crisp bars, remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Cut the bars when cool.

Almond Oat Breakfast Bars
(make ahead for quick breakfast or breakfast that must travel with you)
2 cups rolled oats (soak in warm water for 5 minutes, drain well)
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds
pinch of Celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
2 Tbsp shredded coconut, unsweetened
2 eggs
2/3 cup almond butter at room temperature
2/3 cup ripe banana, mashed
1/4 cup unsweetened dried cherries, chopped
4 dates, pitted and chopped fine
3 Tbsp tahini
Measure out the 2 cups of oats and pour just enough warm water over them to cover them. (Skip this step if you’re using quick oats.) Soak for about 5 minutes while you’re mixing up the dry ingredients. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl (almonds, sesame seed, salt, cinnamon and coconut). In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, almond butter, banana, cherries, dates and tahini. You may want to mash the banana before adding to the bowl if it’s not really soft. Drain the oats well and add them to the dry ingredients along the small bowl of wet ingredients. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.
Spread mixture into a lightly greased (butter, ghee or coconut oil) pan so the batter is no more than an inch or two deep. An 8” x 10” baking dish works well. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 35 minutes or until they're beginning to brown. If they fall apart when you cut them into bars, you might try baking for about 10 minutes longer. For very crisp bars, remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Cut the bars when cool.
Note that you can substitute cashews and cashew butter in place of the almonds and almond butter. You can also freeze some for emergencies.

[DinaC]

I made these "Fertility Balls" for my NC Eating for Fertility final presentation.

Ingredients and Nutritional Value:
sunflower seeds – vitamin E, selenium, folate, iron, magnesium
almonds – folate, zinc, vitamin E, iron, calcium, magnesium
carob powder – calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium
sesame seeds – iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium
pumpkin seeds – iron, magnesium, zinc
figs – calcium, magnesium, iron, folate
avocado – vitamin E, folate
coconut – selenium, zinc
ginger – zinc

► Mix together ground nuts, carob powder, ginger (freshly ground or dry), avocado, dried figs, coconut (dried or fresh), a pinch of salt and some stevia. Knead the mixture together and form it into balls, roll them in sesame seeds.