Homemade energy bars are popping up all over the internet. They are incredibly easy to make with a very few ingredients. When I say easy, I mean easy! These couldn’t be more simple. Basically you throw all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse for a bit but not too long, you don’t want the mixture completely smooth. Form into a rectangular log in a baking pan and then cut into bars. Homemade energy bar takes about 5 minutes, few ingredients and an imagination to make. The longest part is waiting for them to set in the fridge.
- Start with the base of rolled oats
- Now add your extras (seeds, nuts, flavors, dried fruits … etc)
- Add the wet ingredients (sweetener/ nut butter / coconut oil / … )
- Mix everything together (wet and dry ingredients), until the mixture fully coated and holds together
- Spread the mixture into parchment lined baking pan,
- Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes
- Cut into bars and wrap individually, store in the fridge up to 1 week
New to homemade energy bars? Once you’ve mastered your base mixture, get creative with the flavors. You’ll quickly find out how fun and easy these are to make. A great energy bar needs a few things:
Nuts and seeds for energy, healthy fats, fiber and plant based protein. Dates and other dried fruits for easy digestible carbohydrates, quick energy, fiber and sweetness. So, seriously these bars are simple, easy, nutritious, delicious and much-much healthier then store bought. I love the texture and the long-lasting energy they provide.
The basic recipe contains only – shredded coconut (1 cup), oats (1/2 cup), nuts (1/2 cup), dates (1 cup), dried fruits (1/2 cup) and pinch of salt. This basic recipe can be used as a jumping-off point to create your own version.
Optional flavors and add-ins:
Nuts – almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, macadamia, pistachios,
Dried fruits – cranberries, apples, mangos, pineapple, goji berries, banana chips, dates, raisins, prunes, figs, apricots, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries
Seeds – sesame, flax, hemp, chia, sunflower, pumpkin seeds,
Buckwheat, gluten-free rolled oats or sprouted and dehydrated oats, uncooked quinoa, shredded coconut, coconut chips,
Chocolatey things – chocolate chips, cacao nibs, cacao powder, carob powder,
Shredded carrots, lime zest, fresh or dried ginger, lemon or orange zest,
Lime, lemon or orange juice,
Shredded apple, mashed bananas, pomegranate seeds
Spices and herbs – cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, lavender, pumpkin spice
Flavors – vanilla, mint, orange, lime extract
Sweetener – coconut nectar, molasses, date paste,
Nut butter – almond, peanut, cashew, hazelnut,
Tahini
Coconut oil
Superfoods – matcha, lucuma, maca, baobab, spirulina powder, bee pollen,
If you really wanna get crazy, dip them in some melted chocolate, you could also add puffed rice or millet.
A perfect for something healthy to grab for breakfast, a pre-workout energy boost, I can’t wait until lunch or afternoon snack. Enjoy in moderation of course. The great thing about making these yourself is not only having full control of the quality of the ingredients, but also having fun with various flavor combos. They are always so yummy! You don’t need a recipe to make these, just the right ratios of certain ingredients and then you can get creative from there. You can use a mixture of whatever kind of nuts and seeds you like. Mastermind your own combinations – remember, less is more. Always start with a small amount of what you’re adding, taste the mixture and add more as needed. Be creative and try new things. You’ll be surprised at what you can come up with using the ingredients you have on hand. It took several times to get the ratios correct, I’m used to making soft-and-chewy, as opposed to crisp-ish … then they are both chewy and crunchy and definitely satisfying bars … and I had some fails! The failed attempts were still yummy even if they didn’t stick together (just eaten with a fork straight out of the pan).
Fully loaded Homemade Energy Bars
made by showing you how to use all the ingredients you have at home;)
Makes 12 bars
Dry Ingredients:
½ cup hazelnut
½ cup walnuts
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup buckwheat
1 cup shredded coconut
¼ cup pinenuts
¼ cup hulled hemp seeds
¼ cup bee pollen
2 tbsp chia seeds
pinch salt
Wet Ingredients:
zest of 1/2 orange
¼ cup mulberries
½ cup prunes
1+ 1/2 cup dates, soaked
4 – 5 tbsp coconut oil, melted
In a food processor combine the oats, nuts, dates and prunes. Process until the dough is sticky and the pieces of nuts and fruits are all the similar sized pieces. Add coconut oil and process to combine. Add remaining ingredients and pulse just until combined. Be careful not to over process at this point. Spread the mixture into parchment lined baking pan. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Cut into bars and wrap individually, store in the fridge up to 1 week. And there you have it! Wrap these up. I like to use parchment paper (simply secure with a piece of tape) or foil is fine, but be sure to keep them in dry, cool place.
Notes: Mixture should stick together like dough when pressed. If the mixture is falling apart, add more sweetener – this is what hold it all together. You can use raw honey (if you not vegan), coconut nectar, nut butter, dates, date paste or a combination of these. Dates naturally sweet, which makes them perfect for a bar. If your dates aren’t sticky and moist, soak them in warm water for a few minutes them drain thoroughly. Nut butter makes them taste like cookies. You can substitute any dried fruit or switch any of the nuts. It’s a great way to use up odd amounts of dried fruits and nuts as long as the bars stick together, you are good.
Smoothie Ingredients:
2 cup carrot juice blended up with
1 ripe mango
1 tbsp goji berries
+ handful of blackberries
Activating nuts – the what, the why and the how:
So what is activating? Activated nuts and seeds have been made bio-active by a very simple process of soaking in salted water for a pre-determined period of time, draining them and then dehydrating them at a very low temperature in the oven or dehydrator. Nuts and seeds contain what is called phytic acid which prevents them from sprouting prematurely and stores lots of important nutrients. According to research when we consume phytic acid it reduces our body’s ability to absorb these nutrients. They also contain enzyme inhibitors which force the body to work over time to produce the enzymes necessary for digestion. Soaking nuts and seeds begins the process of germination thus breaking down the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. This in turn make the nutrients a lot more readily available. There is also research to suggest that soaking your nuts and seeds for long periods of time actually increases their nutritional value.
Why You Need To Be Activating Your Nuts and How To Do It
Everything You Need To Know About Activating Nuts
- Dry Ingredients:
- ½ cup hazelnut
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup buckwheat
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- ¼ cup pinenuts
- ¼ cup hulled hemp seeds
- ¼ cup bee pollen
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- pinch salt
- Wet Ingredients:
- zest of ½ orange
- ¼ cup mulberries
- ½ cup prunes
- 1+ ½ cup dates, soaked
- 4 - 5 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- In a food processor combine the oats, nuts, dates and prunes. Process until the dough is sticky and the pieces of nuts and fruits are all the similar sized pieces. Add coconut oil and process to combine.
- Add remaining ingredients and pulse just until combined. Be careful not to over process at this point.
- Spread the mixture into parchment lined baking pan. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Cut into bars and wrap individually, store in the fridge up to 1 week.
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