Almond Date Energy Bars
Did you know that this February 4th is the first National Medjool Date Day? And with Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, this homemade {almond & date} energy bar that when cut into hearts makes a nice little gift for your Valentine. They are a welcome healthy Valentine’s Day treat.
These bars are quick and easy to make at home and you can create many varieties based on the ingredients you have in your kitchen {using different types of nuts, dried fruits and additional ingredients such as chocolate and coconut}. The ratio of ingredients given in the recipe is a rough estimate. Pulse them in the food processor until the desired consistency is reached, adding more nuts or dates as needed. You should be able to press some of the mixture between your fingers and it should hold together without crumbling apart or being too sticky. Cut the finished bars into squares, roll them into balls, or cut them into hearts or other shapes using a small cookie cutter.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole almonds
- 4-5 cups loosely-packed dates, pitted
- 1 cup Craisins (or additional dates)
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup shredded coconut, optional
Instructions
Here are your instructions:
If your dates still have pits, cut the dates in half lengthwise and remove the seed.
Pulse the almonds and dates in a food processor until your desired consistency is reached, adjusting the amount of dates and almonds as needed.
You should be able to pick up a bit of the mixture and press it between your fingers without it being sticky and without it crumbling apart.
If desired, pulse in chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and/or any other ingredients.
Line a 10x14-inch pan with parchment paper and press the almond-date mixture into the pan to reach your desired thickness. (I like them to be ½ - 1 inch thick.)
Cut into 32 squares, or bigger bars, or use a heart cookie cutter (or other shape) to cut out shapes (and save the cut-out scraps for snacks for yourself!)
Recipe Notes
You can make these simple energy bars with only two ingredients (nuts and dates) but feel free to doctor them with chocolate chips, shredded coconut and other goodies as you like.
