Raw Brownie Energy Bars

The name of these bars do them zero justice - they should be called "Oh-My-Gosh-Are-You-Kidding-Me-I-Cannot-Believe-These-Are-Raw-And-Healthy-Because-They-Taste-Like-Heaven Bars". Yeah, that does them a little more justice. The recipe comes from Yummy Mummy Kitchen and my socks were actually blown off at how tasty and sweetly satisfying these healthy little "brownies" are. Click on her blog link to see some beautiful pictures she took of these bars. Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy!!!

Here is the recipe STRAIGHT from the Yummy Mummy Kitchen blog:

• 2 cups nuts (use a combination of almonds, peanuts, and walnuts)
• 1 1/4 cups pitted Medjool dates
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or Himalayan salt
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 tablespoon hemp hearts (optional)
• 1/4 cup crisp puffed quinoa or rice cereal <I used Rice Krispies>
• 2 tablespoons walnut pieces
• 2 tablespoons chocolate chips (vegan/gf if needed) 

Instructions

1. Place nuts, dates, oil, cocoa, salt, and hemp hearts into a food processor. Blend until coarsely  ground. Add the syrup and continue to blend until the mixture holds together when pressed. Pulse in the cereal just to combine.
2. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Transfer the bar mixture from the food processor to the pan and press firmly and evenly in. Press walnuts and chocolate chips into the top. 
3. Refrigerate until completely chilled and firm, about an hour. Cut into bars or small bite-sized squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Bites with Nuts & Fruit

 
These little chocolatey bites were super easy to throw together! All you need are some chocolate chips and your favorite nuts & dried fruits (and a microwave and some parchment paper). I used about 3/4 cup of Enjoy Life semi sweet chocolate chunks and it made 12 circles. So, just eyeball everything and make as many or as few as you'd like! Enjoy!

~ 3/4 to 1 cup semi sweet or dark chocolate chips
The following are suggestions:
raw almonds
raw cashews
raw hazelnuts
raw walnuts
dried cherries
dried cranberries
dried apricots
dried figs
raisins
hemp seeds

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish in the microwave on high for 1 minutes. Remove dish and stir. Put dish back in the microwave for another 20 to 30 seconds and stir until completely smooth.

Using a teaspoon size spoon, spoon melted chocolate onto parchment paper that is on a cutting board. Just let the chocolate drop into a nice circle shape.

 

Add the nuts and fruits to each circle any way you like. 

                           

Place the chocolate bites in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm them up. Once firm, remove from parchment and place in a tupperware container. Keep bites in the fridge or freezer because they melt easily. Enjoy!!