Eating on the go is one of the hardest times to grab something healthy. Bars are often a go to food but many are loaded with processed sugar or sweeteners and other unhealthy ingredients. Snacks are in essence mini meals so you need to make sure you have the right balance of carbohydrate, protein, and fat.
Recently I’ve been eating more homemade raw energy balls and raw bars. They are very easy to make, economical, and you know exactly what is in them. Lisa makes a large batch and freezes them so they stay fresh and they taste fantastic cold.
It is helpful to have a food processor to speed up the process but you can use a spice grinder or blender to finely chop up the seeds and nuts. Buying the ingredients from the bulk section of a health food store keeps the price down. Here are two of my favorite recipes but there are unlimited possibilities.
Recipes
Raw Energy Balls- makes about 1 dozen balls
1 cup raw almonds or walnuts
1 cup medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 cup raw almond butter
1 tbsp shredded organic coconut
1. Grind almonds until finely ground. Add dates, raisins and spices. Grind to a fine meal
2. Add the almond butter, process again
3. Form into balls and roll in coconut
4. Store in a sealed container on the counter for 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
(Recipe from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook)
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 34 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 139
Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7.0g 11%
Saturated Fat 0.6g 3%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 1mg
Potassium 241mg 7%
Total Carbohydrates 18.6g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2.6g 11%
Sugars 13.3g
Protein 3.3g
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet
Raw Seed Bars- Makes about 14 bars
9 medjool dates- pitted
1/2 cup unsweetened organic shredded coconut
1/3 cup raisins
3/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup sunflower seeds (roasted and salted)
1/4 cup dried cherries (or cranberries)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp raw honey
1. Add all ingredients to food processor and blend for about 1 min until everything is chopped into small pieces and begin to stick together.
2. Place mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap. with your hands shape into a rectangle, pressing and patting it until very dense and sticks together nicely.
3. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for a few hours, until very firm. Slice into bars and enjoy.
4. Store at room temp for 1 week, in fridge for up to 2 weeks, or wrap bars individually and freeze until needed. To thaw simply set on counter for 30 minutes.
(Recipe from The Healthy Gluten-Free Life)
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 33 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 123
Calories from Fat 59
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6.5g 10%
Saturated Fat 1.7g 9%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 2mg 0%
Potassium 207mg 6%
Total Carbohydrates 15.2g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2.2g 9%
Sugars 11.4g
Protein 3.6g
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet