Oat and Date Energy Bars
Homemade energy bars made with dates, oats, nuts, and cocoa. Baked until golden-edged and crisp, they keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Time
- 1 h 40 min
- Serving
- 445 kcal
- Ingredients
- ≈ $1.58
- Protein
- 9 g
Ingredients
- 1 Datespack 200 g ≈ $3.50 50 g
- 2 Rolled oatspack 400 g ≈ $2.60 40 g
- 3 Walnutspack 150 g ≈ $4.00 15 g
- 4 Cocoa powder 4 g
- 5 Honey 5 g
- 6 Butterpack 180 g ≈ $1.58 5 g
Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.
Method
Pit and soak dates1 in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain and blend into a smooth paste.
Chop walnuts3 roughly. Preheat oven to 340°F (170°C).
Mix the date1 paste with rolled2 oats, nuts, cocoa powder, honey, and softened butter6 until a thick, cohesive dough forms.
Press the dough into a lined 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) pan to a thickness of about 0.6 inches (1.5 cm).
Bake at 340°F (170°C) for 15 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center springs back when touched.
Remove from oven, let cool for 15 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate for 1 hour to set.
Slice into rectangles and serve with tea. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tips
- Why it works
- Soak dates in boiling water to soften them. Blending dry dates makes a grainy paste that won’t bind properly. The heat also releases natural sugars for better texture.
- Substitutions
- Replace honey with 5g maple syrup for a less sweet taste, or swap greckos for 15g walnuts or almonds if unavailable.
- Common mistakes
- Overbaking turns the edges dark and the center dry; check doneness by pressing lightly. It should spring back, not stick.
- Storing and reheating
- Lasts 7 days at room temperature in an airtight container; no reheating needed. Freezing isn’t practical. They soften when thawed.
- Serve with
- Pair with black tea or Greek yogurt for a balanced snack that cuts sweetness with tang.
In short
- Marked healthy: the planner picks it more often for the goals “lose weight” and “eat well”.
Comments 0
Sign in to leave a comment.
No comments yet.