I leave for the boundary waters (BWCAW) tomorrow morning. I have been anxiously awaiting this day… nervous as can be. I am camping for the first time, well kind of… I have camped before, but it didn’t last very long. Wish me luck this week while I am out of my element, challenging myself to try something new. I am so excited to do something out of my comfort zone and grow, I can not even explain to you how happy it makes me feel. It is so important as humans to come back to the wilderness, the wild, where ideas are born, peace is made and new beginnings happen. Look forward to a few posts about our trip and the food we enjoy along the way! If you have any advice or recommendations of anything we should do near Grand Marais let us know.
I made these Superfood Energy Bars for our trip. Everything from our pantry bulk section is in this! All of these ingredients I try to have on hand, ready to be made into delicious meals, treats and snacks. These bars are perfect for a busy lifestyle, on the go snacking or breakfast… even out camping or hiking! Perfect for athletes of all kinds; these bars are packed full of antioxidants which help with your recovery. I must say too, they are unbelievably delicious! With the roasted hazelnuts and sweet and soft medjool dates… they almost feel like a special treat!
Superfood Energy Bars
Ingredients
- 5 large soft medjool dates
- 1 cup hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- pinch of sea salt
- 2 tablespoons maca powder
- 3 tablespoons coconut butter or coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup unhulled or hulled raw sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1/3 cup goji berries
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs
- 2 tablespoons bee pollen
- 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F
- When selecting your dates, make sure they are medjool dates that are fresh and soft, this is very important for this recipe. Soak dates in a bowl of water for these next few steps to help them soften even more.
- Spread your hazelnuts, walnuts and pecans on a lipped baking sheet. Toast nuts in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove nuts from the oven and let cool. Rub the toasted walnuts and hazelnuts with a kitchen towel to remove their skins. This does not need to be perfect.
- Pulse rolled oats in your food processor to partially grind them and then transfer them to a large bowl. Add the hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds and salt to the food processor and grind into the consistency of flour or breadcrumbs, just before it turns to smooth butter. Drain your dates, remove the pits and add to your nut mixture and blend. Add maca powder, coconut butter and tahini and blend until a smooth buttery paste.
- To your large bowl, add pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, goji berries, cacao nibs, bee pollen and honey or maple syrup. Mix ingredients together in your large bowl and then add your buttery paste from your food processor to your bowl. Using your hands, combine everything well and distribute ingredients into the paste. This will be sticky.
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper and pour out your sticky mixture onto the parchment paper. Using another piece of parchment paper, press mixture down to an even rectangle that fits your baking pan, about 1/2 inch thick. Place baking pan in the freezer for about 1 hour, your rectangle will not completely freeze, just harden.
- Remove from freezer and cut your bars. I wrap mine in beeswax paper or parchment paper and store them in the freezer. They are edible right out of the freezer and are delicious!
YUM!!
Do these freeze well? How long do they last in fridge or room temp.?
:):)xoxo
Ellie
YES ELLIE! 🙂 I keep them in the freezer ready to go! They do not completely freeze so you will be able to eat them right away. They last in the freezer for about 3 months and in your refrigerator or room temperature, for a 2-3 weeks. These bars are a weekly must for me! Perfect for on the go.