Cocoa Energy Bars using Dates

I have never been a huge fan of dates – I find the crackly skin and the cloying sweetness just a little too much. So I hesitated trying Anita Bean’s bar recipes containing this dried fruit. In the spirit of trying new things and given that her first two recipes which I tried were scrumptious (see Nut Bar & Recovery Bar), I ventured to try Cocoa Energy Bars.

Anita says that these make perfect pre- and post-run snacks. They are made with 3 main ingredients: dates, nuts & seeds, so are extremely easy to make. They contain no added sugar (only what is found in the dates), are rich in fibre, essential fats, vitamins, iron, magnesium & zinc.

They are extremely easy to make: throw everything in a food processor, press into a pan, stick into the fridge, and viola! bars you can take with you on your next workout. And the best part, I hardly notice the dates; they are just the right amount of sweet, and the texture is very brownie-like. Road-tested them: no problems at all. Definite success!

Cocoa Energy Bars

• 250g ready-to-eat soft or Medjool dates
• 250g nuts (I used walnuts & cashews)
• 50g seeds (I used pumpkin)
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 2-3 Tbsp water

1. Put the dates, nuts, seeds & cocoa powder into a food processor and blends for about a minute until crumbly and evenly combined. You may have to stop the motor and scrape down the sides once or twice.
2. Add 2-3 Tbsp of water if the dates don’t break down easily.
3. Continue to process until the ingredients clump together to form a ball.
4. Turn the sticky ball out onto parchment paper or cling film, cover with another piece of parchment or clingfilm and roll until about 1cm thick. Alternatively, press into a 7inch square panned with parchment or clingfilm.
5. Refrigerate for an hour or so until firm before peeling off the clingfilm or parchment and cutting into 16 rectangular squares.
6. Wrap each bar in clingfilm. They will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition per bar (16 bars total): 167 kcal, 5g protein, 11g fat (1g saturated), 12g carbs (11g total sugars), 2g fibre