Blueberry Energy Bar

By Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

I often get asked about which type of snack bar is the best.

Best priced?
Best tasting?
Best ingredients?
Best for pre or post workout?
Best for children?
Best for hiking...camping...backpacking?

If we are strictly speaking of snack bars you can purchase at the grocery store, the answers are varied and although one might fit the bill for one or a few of the questions, there isn't one bar at the store that can be the answer for ALL of the questions.

There is, however, a bar that you can MAKE, that is more economically priced, great tasting, amazingly simple with healthy ingredients, good for pre or post workout, children will love them, and extremely portable and convenient for any scenario - especially hiking, camping and backpacking!

This Blueberry bar is the answer to everything.

With only 5 simple ingredients and such an easy recipe, you'll be making these frequently.

Ingredients
makes 10 bars

1 c dried blueberries
1 c pitted dates
2 c cashews
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean*

Whirl the blueberries in the food processor until the blueberries are chopped well or are pasty - place in mixing bowl.
Do the same with the dates (they should be gooey) - place in mixing bowl with blueberries.
Do the same with cashews until you get coarse crumbs - place in mixing bowl.
Add lemon zest and vanilla seeds to mixing bowl and mix all ingredients together.  I like to dump portions of this mix back into the food processor until it's all mixed into a dough ball (or knead with hands).
Press into an 8 or 9" pan (about 1/2" thickness) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  Cut into bars.

*Do not sub vanilla bean with vanilla extract.  You don't want liquid added to this, you need the sticky paste of the seeds when you scrape the vanilla bean.  The flavor would be totally different - just get the vanilla bean!


Nutritional Information Per Serving (serving size: 1 bar):

Protein:     5g
Carb:       27g
Fat:            8g
Sugar:      10g


Nutritional information are estimates and may vary