Triple Seed Chocolate Energy Bars (no bake)

You can make your own homemade chocolate energy bars in minutes using seeds, pureed dates, and dark chocolate — no baking required! If you’re tired of overpriced energy bars that taste like cardboard, these are a great alternative.

The trio of seeds: Hemp, chia, and sunflower seeds provide a nice dose of protein and good fats, and the sweetness is provided by dates and vegan chocolate chips (please choose fair trade).

Personally, I think toasted, salted sunflower seeds add the most flavor to these bars, but you can use them raw or toasted; salted or unsalted, as you prefer.

Link through to find the recipe for the Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles depicted with the bars on the plate. 

About Fair Trade Chocolate

A few years ago, the media burst forth with studies proclaiming that chocolate in its pure form is a good-for-you food. Chocolate’s caffeine-like components contribute to quick energy bursts, perfect for athletic and intellectual effort.

It’s encouraging to learn about the virtues of chocolate, but still wise to be choosy about what kind you consume. Dairy-free dark chocolate is the way to go, whether in bars for snacking on, or for chips or cocoa powder (or raw cacao) for baked or unbaked treats.

It’s important to choose fair trade chocolate in any form. Many major chocolate companies will not confirm that they comply with fair trade laws. These protect against unethical growing and harvesting practices. Pleasing your palate should not come at the cost of human suffering.

So please consider fair trade chocolate both for the chocolate chips and the cocoa powder in this recipe!

Recipe is adapted from Plant Power by Nava Atlas. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

Explore more …

• Vegan chocolate desserts
• Unbaked Fudgy Vegan Chocolate Brownies
• Mini Unbaked Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Continue to Content

Yield: 8

Triple Seed Chocolate Energy Bars

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You can make your own energy bars in minutes using superfood seeds, pureed dates, and dark chocolate — no baking required!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 dried dates, preferably Medjool, pitted
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips
• Generous pinch of cinnamon

Instructions

1. Line the bottom of an 8 by 8-inch or 9- by 9-inch pan with baking parchment or wax paper. 
2. Soak the dates in enough hot water to cover for 10 to 15 minutes, then drain and transfer to a food processor or mini-prep. Process until pureed.
3. Transfer the date puree to a small saucepan and add the remaining ingredients. Heat gently until the chocolate is melted, stirring often.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out until even. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
5. Cut the into 8 bar-shaped pieces or 9 more or less equal squares. Store any that aren’t eaten right away in the refrigerator, covered.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 226Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 27mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 5gSugar: 16gProtein: 8g

Nutrition data is always an estimate depending on program used to calculate and exact products used. This is given for informational purposes only and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

See lots more easy vegan desserts & sweets.