Active time: 10 minutes Total time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
These grab-and-go bars are packed with natural sweetness from dates and have 4 grams of protein from cashews, cashew butter and chia seeds. Keep the bars refrigerated in an airtight container for a quick snack for when you need a slow, sustained release of energy, like at the beginning of a long, busy day or during a hike lasting several hours.
No-Bake Cashew Coconut Energy Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups (85g) unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted
- 1 1/2 cups (170g) roasted unsalted cashews
- 1 cup packed (200g) pitted dates
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 medium orange
- 2 tablespoons cashew butter
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 ounces (57g) dark chocolate, chopped
Directions
Line an 8-inch (20 1/2-cm) square baking pan with parchment paper and mist with cooking spray. Put the cashews, dates and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, about 30 1-second pulses. Add the coconut and pulse briefly to combine.
Zest the orange with a fine grater and squeeze the juice from the orange and add to the food processor. Add the cashew butter and chia seeds and pulse until the mixture is well-mixed.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and press down so it’s evenly distributed in the pan. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Cut into 16 bars.
Place the chocolate in a bowl set over simmering water and cook, stirring frequently, until the chocolate has melted. (Alternatively, melt the chocolate on 50% power in a small bowl in the microwave until smooth.) Drizzle over the bars and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Serves: 16 | Serving Size: 1 bar
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 196; Total Fat: 13g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 5mg; Carbohydrate: 19g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 11g; Protein: 4g
