When we thought that my children’s school did not allow nuts on premises and with humans who are doing sports and therefore starving all the time, I had to create seed-based snacks that were packed with good protein, carbs and the right kind of sugar. Here is my take on a snack bar: without nuts or cane sugar.
[soy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free recipe]
Ingredients
For the base:
1/3 cup tahini (ground sesame paste)
15 medjool dates
2 tbsp maple syrup or date syrup
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
pinch of salt
zest from 1 organic orange
For the chocolate topping
1 cup dark chocolate chips*
1 tbsp coconut oil
Grind all the base ingredients until you have formed a sticky dough. Press into a 9×9″ pan lined with parchment or, if you want to go the trash-free way, line a 9×12″ baker with a Silpat silicone cookie sheet liner (the edges will come up the sides – that’s ok). Your base should form a relatively unform flat bottom.
Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or using the microwave method. Mix in the coconut oil until uniform. Pour over the base and place in the refrigerator to set. The bars will be ready to cut or pull apart in about an hour or less. Store in an airtight container, in the fridge.
* If using either the Trader Joe’s Completely Cacao chips or Taza 100% (neither of which have added sugar), add 2-4 tbsp of agave into the melted chocolate mixture until it tastes to a level of sweetness that you like. Start with 2 tbsp, mix, taste, add up to 2 tbsp more as desired.