Date and Nut Bar
13. May, 2009
I make my own energy bars because a) it is cheaper than buying them and b) I like to know what I am putting into my body. Some energy bars you can buy taste really nasty and some are just rubbish, filled with additives and bad stuff. That was the main reason I started making my own because you don't want to be hiking up a mountain in Iceland (or anywhere else), cold, tired, hungry and then get out the bar you were looking forward to enjoying only to find out that it tastes like sticky rubber with nuts in it. No way. This way I always know what I can look forward to.
Note that you need a food processor to make these bars.
If you can't find brown rice syrup in health food stores you can use maple syrup instead.
An excellent energy bar and a healthy snack
This recipe is:
- Egg free
- Gluten free
- Lactose (dairy) free
- Vegan
Date and Nut Bar
Makes 10 bars
Ingredients
- 125 grams (4¼ oz) puffed rice (or puffed spelt if you are not gluten intolerant)
- 100 grams (3½ oz) cashew nuts
- 15 grams (½ oz) almonds
- 20 grams (¾ oz) soy protein (or any other protein you like)
- 120 grams (4½ oz) pitted dates, chopped coarsely
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
- 2 teaspoons tahini (sesame paste)
- 2 teaspoons smooth peanut butter (without added sugar)
Preparation
- Place 100 grams cashew nuts, 125 grams puffed rice (or puffed spelt), 15 grams almonds and 20 grams soy protein in a food processor. Blend for 30 seconds or until finely ground.
- Add the 2 teaspoons tahini, 2 teaspoons smooth peanut butter, 2 tablespoons agave nectar and 2 tablespoons brown rice syrup.
- Blend for 30 seconds or until smooth. Transfer everything to a large bowl.
- Chop the 120 grams dates coarsely and transfer to the food processor along with the 2 tablespoons orange juice. Blend for 20 seconds. You might need to scrape the sides of the bowl. Continue blending for 10 seconds. Add more orange juice if needed.
- Transfer the date mix to the large bowl.
- Now with a large wooden spoon (or in a stand mixer) combine everything together. If the mixture is too coarse place it in the food processor and blend for a couple of seconds (in batches).
- Mould the mixture into whatever shape you desire (I always make either bars or small "hamburger" shaped balls).
- Wrap each bar into cling film and place in the fridge.
- Keeps for several weeks.
Tips
- You can use any protein you prefer. Some are vegan and other are non-vegan. Pea protein, soy protein and whey protein are popular and available in most health food stores.
- You can use other nuts instead of cashew nuts, try a mixture of Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts and more.
- You can use apple juice instead of the orange juice.
- Instead of the brown rice syrup and agave nectar you can use maple syrup.
- It's also really nice using puffed quinoa instead of puffed rice.
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