Date Power Bars Recipe
Posted on 15th of September, 2010 by Lévana
Have you ever taken the time to read the ingredient list in some commercial brands of granola bars? I am sorry to say they are not the healthy snacks they are cracked up to be. By contrast, just look at this lineup of ingredients: Why even bother shopping for snacks, if ten minutes of work will get you dozens of these scrumptious bars? Each one is like having a meal: You just can’t miss! When I am on the road, they are my best friends. They keep very well, in a tin or in the freezer, no need to wipe them all out, so behave please!
You will love these bars before and after the fast, as they are a real nutritional powerhouse!
Ingredients:
4 cups soft and plump pitted dates, packed (about 1 ½ pounds)
1/2 cup agave
1 cup tehina (sesame paste)
1 cup flax meal (ground flax seeds: Health food stores)
3-4 cups crunchy granola, larger pieces crumbled
2 cups toasted sesame seeds (10-12 minutes in a preheated 300°F oven)
Instructions:
In a food processor, process the dates and agave until a perfectly smooth paste forms. Transfer to a bowl, and add all but last ingredient. Combine thoroughly (it will be sticky: be patient). Press the mixture firmly into a greased cookie sheet, about 1/2 inch high. Press the sesame seeds firmly and evenly over the whole top. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into 1×3 inch bars. Store refrigerated in airtight tins. Makes about 5 dozen.
Variations:
- Substitute other dry fruit for the dates, anything except prunes.
- Substitute 2 cups chopped toasted nuts for the granola. The resulting bars will be less firm, more chewy.
- Throw in 2 cups unsweetened grated coconut
- Substitute other ground seed or nut flour for the flax meal.
- Substitute any nut butter for the tehina
- Substitute a natural fruit syrup (health food stores), maple syrup or honey for the agave
Shana Tova to you and Maurice and the kids! I hope you have a year of good health and happiness and prosperity!
A funny thing happened at my RH lunch table. I served what I thought was broccoli soup (it had been frozen and the label fell off). But it tasted over the top delicious. Everyone wanted the recipe. After HOURS of searching, I discovered it was your curried white veg soup from you Dairy Free cookbook. Thank you so much! YUM! It’s on the menu for Sukkot!
Oh, can’t wait to taste these bars, they will be a great snack as Ali and Avi and Becca will all be in for Sukkot!
What kind of granola do you recommend we use?
Happy healthy new year to you and all yours. So sorry I had to miss the wedding! Can’t wait to have my chance to celebrate with Eli and Ali!
I like The Baker brand Granola, but there are quite a few decent brands of crunchy granola. BTW the best one will be in my cookbook: Stay tuned!
My love to all, have an easy fast, let me know when you are in NYC, we’ll make a date, all of us. Where does Alison live? xoxo
They are the best: Make sure you keep them refrigerated so they don’t lose their texture!
Ha! That’s what I call UFOs (unidentified frozen objects)! You had a good experience. I recently had a reverse instance: I thought I was thawing a container of chocolate sauce, whose label had fallen off in the freezer, and it turned out to be…. cholent! Of course I love cholent, only not for dessert!
I must say I didn’t understand your comment: Please clarify. thanks.