Name: Decadent Chocolate Cranberry Energy Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Ingredients: ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats; ¾ cup raw buckwheat groats; 2 ripe medium-sized bananas, mashed; 2 tsp vanilla extract; ½ cup golden flaxseed meal; ½ cup freshly ground chia seeds; ½ cup cacao powder; ½ cup finely chopped pitted Medjool dates, or to taste; 1 cup finely chopped fresh organic cranberries; Pinch ground chipotle powder

Recipes » Desserts » Decadent Chocolate Cranberry Energy Bars

By Cathy Katin-Grazzini

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These tasty granola bars are chewy with a bit of a crunch, chocolatey, complex tasting, and not cloyingly sweet. With nutritious ingredients that replenish your energy without weighing you down with fat, they are terrific after a sports meet, a workout, or a run—and they also travel well, so take them with you to fuel your bike ride or hike.

Prep: 20 mins Cook: 50 mins

Gluten Free Nut Free Soy Free

This recipe is from Cathy’s cookbook Love the Foods That Love You Back.

Ingredients

½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
¾ cup raw buckwheat groats
2 ripe medium-sized bananas, mashed
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup golden flaxseed meal
½ cup freshly ground chia seeds
½ cup cacao powder
½ cup finely chopped pitted Medjool dates, or to taste
1 cup finely chopped fresh organic cranberries
Pinch ground chipotle powder

Whole Food, Plant-Based Living: Getting Started

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Transfer the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using straight-edge rulers or icing spatulas, shape the mixture into a roughly 8 x 8-inch square that is 1 inch thick.
3. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and gently cut the square in half. Then use a sharp or serrated knife to slice each half into 1-inch strips. Carefully separate the strips, leaving about an inch between each one to facilitate airflow and even baking.
4. Return the bars to the oven for approximately 35 minutes or until fragrant, firm, and golden. Transfer the bars to a cooling rack and let cool.

Cooking Tips

1. Chocolate Cranberry Energy Bars will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks (if you don’t eat them before then!). They also freeze beautifully, lasting up to 3 months.