This morning’s recipe was created as part of my Healthy-Energy-Bars-for-Ben experiment. <— If you missed the first recipe for Bliss Bars, I suggest you click that link + make them, stat. They are out of this world!
Recapping the criteria:
- easy to eat on the run [literally]
- protein – to stay satisfied for more than half an hour
- good carbohydrates – the kind that sticks to your ribs and gives enough energy to keep up with children
- nutrient-dense fruits + veggies to make sure he’s getting the most bang for his buck!
- keeping the calorie-count down isn’t necessarily important because Ben is so active and burns everything off quickly.
Alright, so Ben and I both gave the Bliss Bars our top honors for taste, but these Goji-Nib Energy Bars definitely take the cake for nutrients. They’re packed with superfood goodness to supply Ben with enough energy to get him through the school day.
Because I’m sensitive to dried fruit, Ben’s been the one to eat most of these. He gave this review:
I give these four out of five bites. They’ve got a lot going on but they’re not overpowering… it’s a good balance of sweet, tart, and savory.
Ben’s not a food critic, but he’s learning to give me constructive criticism. 
I also tasted a piece, and I’ve got to say: they’re great [if I could, I’d eat them all the time]. They taste like a Lara Bar but are much cheaper to make… plus you get to control what you put in them!
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Goji-Nib Energy Bars
[raw, vegan, gluten- and refined-sugar free]
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[ingredients] – use scant measurements
- 1 1/2 c raw almonds
- 8-10 medjool dates [depending on size] – pitted and halved
- 2 Tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
- 2 Tbsp cacao nibs
- 2 Tbsp dried goji berries
In a processor, pulse raw almonds until it becomes almond meal [small bits].
Add in the dates and process until everything is combined. You should be able to grab a handful and form it into a sticky ball. If it isn’t sticky enough, add another date or two to the mix.
Plop the mixture into a medium bowl and mix in the cacao nibs, goji berries and coconut.
Now, you can make balls out of this or get a big sheet of saran wrap [maybe 18 to 24’’ long], line a pan, pour the mixture over one half of the plastic wrap… fold the other half over it, and press it into approx. 1/2’’ bars.
Place in the fridge for a couple of hours/overnight so that it firms up and becomes one big block…
Unwrap the block and cut into six bars [or however many you decide you want].
Individually wrap them in plastic wrap and store in the fridge or the freezer.
Enjoy! Makes six bars.
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