Healthy Recipe: Strawberry Cream Energy Bar

Energy or granola bars are a great example of healthy eating through extra processing. But when made from nutritious ingredients like whole grains, seeds, nuts and dried fruits, they can make a nutritious and rich homemade snack. This recipe combines creamy cashews and an unusual ingredient – dehydrated strawberries and plays with the nostalgic smell of strawberries and cream! This particular ingredient is bursting at the seams due to the concentration from dehydration. If you find them hard to find in your local big box grocery store, try a healthy food store or online grocery store or try making your own in the strawberry season. These are a great way to enjoy fresh strawberry flavors outside of the season. Dehydrated strawberries contain vitamin C and antioxidants.

Homemade granola bars of any variety on the menu for a busy lifestyle is a great addition. They pack well for work lunches or travel meals. Kids like them for afterschool snacks or school lunches. And they make a delicious alternative to a pre-workout energy bars.

Material:

2 cups whole grain rolled oats

The pinch is salt

1 cup almonds, raw and without salt

1 cup coconut flakes, without sweet

4 tablespoons flax heart, peeled

1.5 cups dehydrated strawberries, rough cut

12 dried apricots, without sweet and without sulfur

6th date, hole removal

3 tablespoons coconut oil

2 small ripe bananas (about 2 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon chia seeds, rehydrated with 1 tablespoon water

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325. And line a small 8 ”baking sheet with parchment paper.

Start by putting chia seeds in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of water to hydrate. Set aside.

Combine all your dry ingredients in a large bowl with a food processor and rough chop. Remove from food processor and set aside in a medium bowl. Then add the wet ingredients to the food processor, including dried fruits, bananas and oil. Blend until ingredients are smooth and well combined. Then add two tablespoons of hydrated chia seeds and pulses to combine.

Now add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and use a spatula combine.

Place the mixture on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and press with the back of a large metal spoon until the mixture spreads evenly in the pan and is about 6 inches thick.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are brown.

Allow the bars to cool and then cut them into rectangular squares. Store these in a tupperware in the refrigerator. They will save up to two weeks.

These bars make an energy and protein rich snack or serve as a convenient breakfast heated and poured milk on top.

8 serves.

Homemade dehydrated strawberries

1 pound fresh strawberries, washed and dried

Preheat the oven to 200 when baking the convection.

Slice the strawberries about 6 inches thick and arrange on a parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Make sure to place in each piece.

Bake at 200 for about 2 hours. Peel a squash, grate it and squeeze the juice. Bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Use or allow to cool completely and store in airtight containers.

Nutrition information (per serving):

Calories 350

8 grams of protein

17 grams of total fat

6 grams of saturated fat

Cholesterol 0 mg

42 grams of carbohydrates

7 grams of fiber

Total sugar 17 g

0 grams of added sugar

160 mg of sodium