The honest truth is that most store-sold energy bars are basically junk food. They’re packed with a lot of excess sugar and other artificial ingredients that do a lot of harm, rather than the good that they are intended to do.
By making your own energy bars, you can get all of the macro-nutrients, vitamins and minerals without fear of consuming extra sugar and additives. Here are 3 different ways to help you do this:
1. The 4-ingredient energy bars
This is an easy-to-prepare snack. All you need are bananas, oats, nuts and dates (salt, vanilla and a touch of cinnamon are optional choices). It takes just little of your time and if you’re looking to consume a no-sugar-added energy bar, then this energy bar is just ideal.
Ingredients required: 2 large, very ripe bananas, 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional), 2 cups of oats, ¼ cup chopped dried dates, ¼ cup chopped nuts (walnuts, peanuts for instance), cinnamon (optional).
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease your baking dish with butter or olive oil
2. Mash the bananas until they’re almost liquid. Make sure it is uniformly mashed.
3. If you decided to use vanilla, stir your mashed bananas in the vanilla, mix with oats, then add dates, nuts and salt (optional).
4. Press the mixture gently into the baking dish.
5. Bake for 30 minutes in your oven preheated to 350 degrees.
2. The Sweet Bean Energy Bar
This is probably, one of the best and more pleasurable ways to consume protein and fiber. This recipe has easy procedures to make and there’s no cooking involved if you choose to use canned beans.
Ingredients required: One and a half cups of cooked black beans (drained and rinsed), ¾ cup dried banana slices, ½ cup brown rice syrup, 1/3 cup raisins, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons vanilla extra, ¼ cup oatmeal, ¼ cup ground flaxseed, 2 tablespoons almond meal.
Directions:
1. Blend the beans, banana, cocoa powder, raisins, vanilla, syrup, oatmeal, flaxseed in a food processor. Throb until mixture is uniformly blended and forms a dough.
2. Sprinkle the almond meal on the baking pan you plan on using and then press the mixture into the pan firmly.
3. Chill for about 2 hours until firm, and then cut into squares.
4. Wrap each square in a wax paper and refrigerate in a closed container for up to four days.
3. The Superfood Energy Bar
Superfoods are considered as those set of foods that help protect your body against diseases and have a lot of health benefits for your body. These bars are easy to prepare and won’t take much of your time or energy.
Ingredients required: 1 cup of pumpkin seeds, 1 cup dried shredded coconut, ½ cup shelled help seeds, ½ cup hemp protein powder, 4 tablespoons cacao powder, 6 tablespoons ground vanilla, 6 tablespoons rolled oats, 20 fresh Medjool dates, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 6 tablespoons rolled oats and 2 tablespoons poppy seeds.
Directions:
1. Except for the oats and poppy seeds, mix the rest of the dry ingredients in a food processor until they’re properly mixed but still crunchy.
2. Blend all wet ingredients in a different food processor until they’re all smooth
3. Poor the wet ingredients on top of the dry ingredients and then add the poppy seeds and stir until you have a well-combined mixture
4. Spread the mixture evenly into a baking dish and place it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
5. Cut into bars, wrap in paper and refrigerate for a week.
Conclusion
For a better quality of food, try preparing them yourself. Of the foods you eat outside, studies show that 70% are usually bad for health.
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