Energy Bars

These energy bars are a great lunch box filler for the whole family. They’re super healthy, contain no grains, refinined sugar, or any highly processed ingredients or additives.

They pack a punch and provide sustained energy, perfect for a mid morning snack, with a cuppa. The sweetness of the dates and figs, make them super tasty and a healthy treat for young kiddies.

So what goodness do they contain?:

Cashew Nuts

•  They are packed with soluble dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and numerous health-promoting phyto-chemicals that help protect us from diseases and cancers.
• They are rich in “heart-friendly” monounsaturated-fatty acids. These essential fatty acids help lower harmful LDL-cholesterol while increasing good HDL cholesterol.
• Manganese, potassium, copper (healthy hair), iron, magnesium (helps to lower blood pressure), zinc, and selenium are concentrated in these nuts.
• Cashews are also good in many essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin, and thiamin (vitamin B-1).

 

Sunflower Seeds

 

• Sunflower seeds are a good source of selenium, which is a proven enemy of cancer.
• They contain bone-healthy minerals. Besides calcium, your bones need magnesium and copper to stay strong. Sunflower seeds have both these minerals.
• They keep you calm. The magnesium in sunflower seeds is reputed for soothing the nerves, thus easing away stress, migraines and helping you relax.
• They bring a glow to your skin. The star in this role: Vitamin E again, which combats UV rays and keeps skin youthful.
• They are loaded with antioxidants and ease inflammation, such as joint pain, gastric ulcers, skin eruptions, asthma and such.
• These small seeds disallow ‘bad’ cholesterol from sticking to the walls of your arteries, thus preventing heart attacks.

Pumpkin Seeds (aka Pepita)

• They’re high in the sleep-enhancing amino acid tryptophan that converts to serotonin in your body and helps ensure a good night’s sleep;
• Pumpkin seeds are high in the heart-healing mineral magnesium, keeping your heart and bones healthy.
• They contain high levels of easily-digestible protein, which helps to stabilize blood sugar when eaten as a snack throughout the day.
• Are one of the best sources of plant-based omega-3s (alpha-linolenic acid or ALA)
• Pumpkin seeds have long been valued as an important natural food for men’s health. This is in part because of their high zinc content, which is important for prostate health (where it is found in the highest concentrations in the body.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup pitted dates
• 2.5 TBS Melted Coconut Oil
• 8 chopped dried figs
• 1 Cup raw cashew nuts
• 1/2 Cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 Cup Pumpkin seeds
• 3/4 Cup Coconut Shavings
• Generous Pinch of Pink Himalayan Rock Salt

Recipe

Soak the pitted dates in some hot water to soften.

In a food processor add the cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut shavings and salt.

Blitz until all mixed well.

Add the dates, melted coconut oil and figs and blitz further. The mixture should begin to stick together.

Press into a square dish and allow to set in the fridge.

Cut into bars and keep refrigerated.

Simple as that!