Coming up with this energy/snack bar has been in the back of my mind for a while now. I have contemplated a few different ways to accomplish this. Would I use pre-made chocolate chips? Should I make my own chocolate chips? Or make a chocolate topping that would be delicious but possibly quite messy for an on the go snack? I churned over these thoughts and a few others until my most recent trip to the health food store where I saw a package of raw cacao nibs...
I bought them. I thought ok, these are not sweet, but they are pure chocolate, the real chocolate chip. I knew that for this to be good the bars themselves may need to be a tad sweeter than I normally make. My attempt was not in vain... these are delicious! They are chewy, crunchy, sweet, heavenly and guilt free. I'll take these any day over the waxy, junk filled, processed Almond Joy's!
You've heard that chocolate is good for you, but did you know it is considered a "super food"? That doesn't mean you should go binge on a bag of overly processed waxy chocolate, that completely defeats the purpose! But adding some organic, raw cacao to your diet can be beneficial. Cacao is loaded with antioxidants and minerals and also gives you that wonderful feeling of bliss. Here are some good facts about cacao. And besides the cacao, there are some amazing nutrients in dates, almonds and coconut!
1 1/2 cup dates
1 cup almonds (raw, soaked & dried)
1/2 cup raw cacao nibs
1/2 cup dried unsweetened shredded coconut
3 tbsp coconut nectar
(or other liquid sweetener like pure maple syrup)
Directions:
Add the dates to the food processor after removing pits and process until the dates are minced. Add in the almonds and process for another minute or two until they are minced, mixed well and start balling up a bit like dough. Add in the cacao nibs, coconut and sweetener and process only until mixed well.
Remove the mixture and kneed a bit into a large ball. Place it on a piece of parchment paper and press it down with your hands into a rectangle. With another piece of parchment over the top, roll it out with a rolling pin into a thin rectangle. You can trim off the uneven edges and press them back in to fill any spots or snack on them a bit like I do lol :) Sprinkle on some extra coconut & cacao nibs on top if desired, then place the parchment back on top and roll over it with the rolling pin a couple times to press in the toppings. Cut into 8-10 bars. Keep cut parchment paper between the bars so they don't stick. They will be a bit soft at first, they will firm up in the refrigerator. Store in the fridge in an airtight container. Savor~
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