Homemade Energy Bars

I probably eat about one protein bar a day. Sometimes it's in the morning before or after an intense workout, maybe as a meal substitute when I don't have time to eat lunch, or am spending a long day at the beach or in the field and don't have access to commodities or space to pack a meal; no doubt, they have been life savors. Not to mention I get a hell'a deal on brands like Clif because of my line of work, but I realize not everyone gets these types of perks if you don't work in the recreational industry. Plus, I get sick of eating the same types of bars (I've tried so many).

This is a recipe that you can add anything to. The base for this bar is pitted dates, but you can also use figs, prunes, or any sticky fruit that is dried. You can also use fresh banana, like in this raw vegan banana bread energy bar recipe from Julie Van den Kerchove.

8 oz. Pitted Dates
3 oz. Raw Cashews
4.5 oz. Medley Mix (dried cranberries, banana chips, raisins, coconut, dried apple, dried papaya, dried pineapple)


Place pitted dates into a food processor and set aside. Process raw cashews and medley mix separately until fine-chopped pieces, but not powdery. Incorporate cashews and medley mix into dates with hands. Press firmly into a glass baking dish or muffin tin and put in the fridge for an hour before eating. Keep stored in the fridge.


It cost me about $7.48 to make twelve bars, which is much cheaper than a box of twelve Clif bars, even with my discount. Plus, these bars are all raw. Unfortunately, I calculated the sugar for each bar and it's a whopping 31g (way too sweet for my liking). In the future, I will play around with the recipe and use less dates and dried fruit. I will also incorporate flax meal for more protein and maybe use a banana. Remember that if you use bananas your bars will not last as long--only about a week in the fridge, but you can also freeze them.

Nutrition Facts
Calories	190
Fat	4g
Sat. Fat	1.5g
Protein	3g
Fiber	3g
Sugar	31g
Iron	5%
Calcium	2.5%