It's been a while since my last blog post...
Today I had a request to share a recipe to replace shop bought breakfast and cereal bars from a participant on one of my Superhero Snacks Workshops.
So with spring around the corner here in the UK and to get back into the swing of things, I thought it was about time to resurface after a long winter hibernation and present you flourishing folk with an adaptation of one of the Superhero recipes that we sampled.
This recipe is designed to be customised to include your own favourite snack ingredients. I hope it will inspire you to try out one or two energising ingredients that may be new to you.
They are so simple and
easy to make and a wonderfully healthy, sustaining alternative to crisps and chocolate that boost and balance your blood sugar!
Enjoy the satisfaction of making your own tasty homemade snacks, adding in your favourite superfoods to pack an extra nutritional punch.
Such as...
Baobab - The fruit of the African
‘upside down’ tree is nutrient-rich, with as much calcium as a glass of milk
and six times more vitamin C than an orange. Great booster for the whole family!
Hemp Seeds - Easily digested, slow release of energy to keep you going longer, and a rich source of nutritious Omega oil essential fatty acids, protein and
amino acids.
Ingredients:
Ground Nuts (Almond is delicious... try ground dessicated coconut for nut-free version) 50% (eg. 50g)
Ground Hemp Seeds 50% (eg. 50g)
Omega Oils, 2-3 tbsp per 100g nuts and seeds
Your choice of Superfood powder, 3 tbsp per 100g nuts and seeds:
Boabab, Astragalus, Ashwaganda, Chia, Maca, Rhodiola, Spirulina, Raw Cacao, etc.
Your choice of binders:
Nut Butter, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, for 'sweet tooths': Honey, Maple Syrup, finely chopped or blended soaked fresh Dates (enough to add and mix in gradually till all binds together but not too wet/sticky, amounts vary depending on the ingredients you're using, add more dry ingredients if gets too moist)
Your choice of garnish:
Goji Berries, Cinnamon, Cacao Powder, Dessicated Coconut or finely Chopped Nuts, to coat or cover
Last, but most importantly... Love!
Equipment:
Blender, Food Processor, or Pestle and Mortar
Mixing Bowl, Saucers, Spoons
Directions:
Grind up seeds and nuts with blender,
processor or pestle and mortar (short-cut tip or if no blender: buy pre-ground, more convenient, but less fresh and vital - think coffee beans).
Add superfoods and omega oils to ground nuts and seeds.
Mix well into a paste by gradually adding and stirring in binders of choice to mix thoroughly.
For Vibrant Energy Balls:
Pinch off small amounts and roll into small balls.
Pour garnish of choice in a saucer and
coat balls by gently rolling until covered.
Enjoy 2-3 balls to boost energy
throughout the day and keep in fridge 2-3 days, or freeze to defrost and eat
within month.
For Vibrant Energy Bars:
Cover a baking tin with cling
film, or alternatively, grease a silicon baking tray with coconut oil.
Press down
the mixture evenly into container to desired thickness. (Apply bit of coconut oil to finger tips to prevent mixture from sticking.)
Put mixture in fridge to set for at least half an hour.
Remove from container and/or film and
cut into snack bar slices, sprinkling on and gently pressing in garnish of choice or dusting with cacao or cinnamon powder.
Enjoy 1-2 bars to boost energy through out the day and keep in fridge 2-3 days, or freeze to defrost and eat within month.
Bonus Tips:
Go for organic ingredients to ensure ultimate snack vibrancy. The extra cost is worth it to truly love your self, others and our planet!
For variety, substitute ground hemp seeds
with other ground seeds you may have in your kitchen cupboard, such as psyllium,
flaxseeds, chia, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, etc.
For texture, try garnishing or mixing in: dessicated coconut, sprinkling and pressing in fine or rough chopped nuts, pure cacao
nibs, seed mixes, a dried mulberry or a whole nut in the centre of ball.
Adding coconut oil is particularly good for solidifying bars in cooler climates, place jar in shallow bowl of hot (not boiling) water for a while to liquify before adding to mixture.
To create more solid bars in warmer climate, add minimum of 'wet' ingredients or extra 'dry' ingredients to ensure a firmer bar and keep in fridge for a while before slicing.
Please do give them a go and let me know how you get on.
I'm always on the look out for new snack inspirations, so I'd appreciate your comments below of any winning combinations that you come up with. I'd love to hear from you about the favourite superfoods you love to use and why.
I was delighted that the Superhero Snack series I ran at Neal's Yard Remedies Edinburgh recently was so popular, so I'll be running a part 2 later this year, and repeating part 1 for those who missed it.
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Enjoy impressing your friends and family with these delightful treats, and the added bonus of a sustaining boost throughout your day!
With love & vibrant energy,
