Energy bars really couldn’t be simpler to make. Nowadays its possible to buy Nakd and Lara bars which are commercial versions of those made at home. Here is a simple recipe for your own – Cashew And Date Energy Bars. It uses cashew and date because they pack a punch and taste brilliant. So that is two ingredients and nothing else. These also take a few minutes to put together. Cashew nuts have a high calorific content as do dates so the combination is going to work well together.
If you did want to spend a bit longer on the recipe than just try adding some almond butter – about 1 Tbsp would do it simply to increase the goo factor.
Ingredients:
400g cashew nuts (blanched or unblanched). The unblanched type will add a bit extra fibre in the form of the hull.
500g Medjool dates. The Tunisian Deglet date is too hard for this type of bar. Try to use supersoft dates because they can be a bit too dusty otherwise.
Add a teaspoon of corn oil if the mixture is not sticking. There are instances when both the cashew nuts and the dates are too dry. I also think that like almond, cashew nuts are better roasted and will also go oily if blended too hard.
Preparation:
- Just line a 20 by 30 cm baking tin with parchment paper, greaseproof paper or even clingfilm.
- Add the nuts and dates to a blender and whizz to either create a roughly chopped mixture or even whizz further to create a powder mix. You can do the dates or the nuts first but whatever the case, you will create a smooth mixture the longer it is left to blend.
- Press the mixture into the baking tray and chill for 30 minutes.
- Press out of the tin and wrap in the paper. The cling film is not great for storing these bars. I think they store well in an airtight container and will last for about a week. They have an exceptional flavour and are great for picnics.
Leave a Reply