Grain-free Energy Bar

You can never have enough recipes for healthy lunch box fillers.

These energy bars are packed with nutrients from whole foods such as nuts, seeds, dried fruits, honey, and eggs.

Nuts and seeds are a fabulous source of protein, essential omega 3 fatty acids, and fiber. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals like magnesium, selenium, and zinc.

Almonds

are high in biotin, which is a B-complex vitamin and important for its central role in many pathways of metabolism.

Blood Sugar Balance

Biotin plays a key role in fat and sugar metabolism. Low biotin impairs insulin production, a hormone necessary for blood sugar balance.

Skin Health

Biotin is necessary to process fat and protein that you eat and build healthy fats in the skin.  Biotin deficiency is rare and rather caused by impaired assimilation. Symptoms of biotin deficiency can be brittle nails, hair loss, dry or irritated skin, and skin rash.

Protection Against Free Radical Damage

Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant known for its important role in cardiovascular health and free radical protection. Since vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin it offers protection to fats. All our cells and nerves have an outer protective layer made of fat. We need healthy fats in our diet to keep that protective layer nourished and safe from getting porous and damaged.

Walnuts

are rich in essential omega 3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation, improve kidney function, and the immune and nervous system. Studies have shown how important these fatty acids are for our brain and they help our children to stay focused and concentrated in school.

Cashews

are rich in copper. You wonder what’s copper for?

Copper plays a role in the body’s formation of strong, flexible connective tissue, in the production of neurochemicals in the brain and in the functioning of muscles, nerves and the immune system. “One of copper’s best-understood roles is its function in the cross-linkage of collagen and elastin”, explains Leslie Klevay, M.D., Sc.D., of the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center.

Sounds like important to prevent or support healing injuries.

I could go on and on about the health-supporting phytonutrients in nuts and seeds, but let’s keep it simple and say “Nuts and seeds are little powerhouses of nutrients – Eat them to stay healthy!”

These bars are simply filled with nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, which are especially important for growing kids. A deficiency is common due to picky eating and too many processed foods in the diet. It can cause problems such as…

• weakened immune response (frequent colds and infections)
• growing pain
• poor development
• mood swings
• cravings (deficiencies drive cravings, processed foods can’t fix that)
• hormonal imbalances

Now it’s time to try this recipe for healthy energy bars and keep them as a staple in your freezer for easy lunchbox packing in the morning.

Grain-free Energy Bar

Serves: 16-18 bars

Cooking Time: 20 minutes preparation / 25-30 minutes in the oven

Ingredients

• 40g dried apricots OR 40g dried mango
• 40g pitted dates
• 50g walnuts
• 70g cashews
• 250g almond meal (you can also use whole almonds and grind your own meal)
• 3 eggs
• 60g honey
• 10g apple juice (or water)
• a pinch of salt
• 70g unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 50g dried cranberries
• 40g sunflower seeds
• 40g pumpkin seeds
• 40g sesame seeds
• Optional for chocolate drizzle
• 50g chocolate (the darker the better)
• 5g cacao butter (optional)
• cinnamon

Instructions

1

Pulse dates, dried mango or apricots, walnuts, cashews, and almonds in a food processor until finely ground.

2

Fill all liquid ingredients (eggs, honey, and apple juice) in a bowl and blend until combined.

3

Add all remaining ingredients plus the ground nuts and fruits. Use a wooden spoon and blend until dry and wet ingredients are combined.

4

It will be a firm and sticky mass. (might be to difficult for a hand mixer)

5

Preheat your oven to 160 Celcius.

6

Line a casserole (40cm x 25cm) with parchment paper, scoop the mixture on it and spread evenly with a wet spatula (or wet hands).

7

Bake 25-30 minutes.

8

Cut into bars and let cool on a cooling rack. (I cut them warm but it might also work to let them cool first)

9

Melt chocolate and cacao butter in a double boiler. Add a pinch of cinnamon. Drizzle over cooled bars.

10

I keep them in the freezer and pack them frozen into my children's lunchboxes.

11

Enjoy!