• ¾ cup Medjool dates
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds (1/4 of a big promegranate)
• ½ cup flax seed powder
• ½ cup cooked quinoa
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup hemp seed powder
• pinch of sea salt

Here are the instructions to make these delicious Pomegranate Quinoa Energy Bars:

1. Remove the core from the dates and chop into small chunks. They might be very sticky.


2. Add all the ingredients into the food processor and process until smooth, or to the texture that you desire.


3. Scoop the mixture into the bar-shaped silicon molds, this fills six 7.6×2.7×3 cm (3×1×1.2 inches) molds.


4. Wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze overnight.


5. Remove the energy bars from the molds and put them into a freezer box or bags, keep them in the freezer and eat directly from the freezer. If it’s too cold for you, you can wait until it reaches room temperature, but don’t wait for too long, otherwise they turn soft and mushy.

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Source: Annie Taylor Chen

The post Enjoy These FROZEN! … Homemade Pomegranate Quinoa ENERGY BAR Treats appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.

TIP: Make a big batch of these popular “No-Cook” German Chocolate Protein Bars for breakfast, and then store them in the fridge for up to 5 days (or in the freezer for a month … but they’ll never last that long!)

This recipe is a “keeper” for several reasons! First of all it’s vegan, so you can share with all of your friends … including those who follow a strict diet. And then, because no cooking is required, these Protein Bars are easy to prepare and all of the natural ingredients retain lots of healthy nutrients and flavor that would otherwise disappear in the oven. “Raw” is good!

Sarah originally created this great recipe several years ago, and has added some tweaks and improvements since then. You can plan on a prep time of approximately 20 minutes to make a dozen German Chocolate Protein Bars with this new, improved recipe. Then it’s best to put them in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to let them firm up before eating.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
 

• 1 cup oats
• 1⁄2 cup vegan protein powder (I used soy)
• 1⁄4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted and soaked for 30 minutes 1⁄2 cup + 1⁄4 cup chopped pecans, divided
• 1⁄2 cup + 1⁄4 cup shredded coconut, divided
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• water as needed (up to 1⁄4 cup)
• 2 tbsp cacao nibs or chocolate chips

Follow these simple instructions to make a batch of healthy German Chocolate Protein Bars:
 
 

1. In a food processor grind up the oats until they are a fine flour. Add protein and cocoa powders and blend again until well combined.

2. Drain and rinse the dates then add them to the food processor along with 1⁄2 cup of pecans, 1⁄2 cup of shredded coconut, vanilla, and salt. Blend again, adding a little water at a time, until a dough forms.

3. Transfer dough to a bowl, stir in the remaining 1⁄4 cup of pecans and coconut along with 2 tbsp cacao nibs or chocolate chips.

4. Scrape dough onto a piece of parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Cover with another piece of parchment paper and roll the bars out to about 1⁄2 inch, shaping into a square as you roll.

5. Place the bars in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, allowing them to firm up before cutting into 12 equal pieces.

6. Store in refrigerator for 5 days or a month in the freezer.

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Source: Sarah McMinn

The post Easy NO-COOK German Chocolate PROTEIN BARS for Early Morning Energy appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.

12 dried apricots
4 strawberries
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 scoops pea protein
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cup oats

Follow these 3 easy steps to make these delicious Vegan Apricot Oat Energy Bars:

1. Blend 6 apricots, strawberries, water, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt in a blender or food processor 1 minute until smooth. Add protein powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.


2. Finely chop remaining 6 apricots and place in a mixing bowl with oats. Top with blended apricot mixture. Hand-mix ingredients until they are smooth.


3. Place on a lined 8-by-8-inch cooking pan and spread mixture evenly. Freeze for 45 minutes. Remove from the freezer and cut into 6 even bars.



Nutrition score per serving:
278 calories,
8 g fat (1g saturated),
30 g carbs,
23 g protein,
4 g fiber

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Source: Heidi Kristoffer

The post Vegan Apricot Oat Energy Bars appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.

Always look for dried fruit that is plump, moist, and has good color. Never buy fruit that is shriveled and dried out or moldy.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make 18 of these awesomely delicious and healthy Fruit & Nut Energy Bars:

1 1/2 cups (175 grams) chopped nuts (you can use pecans, hazelnuts, pistachios, or almonds or a combination thereof)

1/2 cup (70 grams) dried cherries, cranberries, raisins and/or currants

1 cup (130 grams) dates, figs, and/or prunes (pits removed and cut into chunks)

1/2 cup (70 grams) dried apricots, mango, and/or papaya, cut into bite size pieces

1/3 cup (55 grams) mini chocolate chips or chunks

1/3 cup (45 grams) all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) salt

1/3 cup (65 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) pure vanilla extract

The preparation steps and Stephanie’s how-to video are on the next page …

Next Page »

The post Make These Popular Fruit & Nut BREAKFAST-LUNCH-SNACK ENERGY BARS for the Week Ahead (Video) appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.

They’re healthy: dried and whole fruit, vanilla yogurt, and packed with oats. No added sugar. Easy to make the night before to enjoy in the morning.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make 8 of these Energy Bars:
 

• 1 ½ cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup almonds
• ½ cup dried raisins [I used golden and regular raisins]
• ¾ cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
• 1 medium-sized apple, diced
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Just follow these 4 steps to make these delicious Oatmeal & Raisin Energy Bars:

 

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. Cover and process until a ball forms, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl with spatula.

Line a 9-inch loaf pan with foil. Empty food processor bowl into loaf pan, pressing down mixture with spatula.

Freeze for at least one hour to firm up. Remove from freezer and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Slice into bars, and serve. Can also be covered and refrigerated overnight.

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Source: Katie Serbinski

The post Easy Make-Ahead Oatmeal & Raisin ENERGY BARS to Enjoy for Breakfast or Later appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.

Tip: double the recipe since they’ll keep for 10 days or longer in the fridge!

Vary your choice of the dried fruits and the nuts to suit your own preferences, but be sure to keep the amounts the same: 2 cups (270 grams) of dried fruits along with 1 1/2 cups (175 grams) of nuts.

Examples of good dried fruits to consider are dried dates, raisins, apricots, mango, papaya, apples, pears, cherries, cranberries, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
 

Always look for dried fruit that is plump, moist, and has good color. Never buy fruit that is shriveled and dried out or moldy.

Continue on to the next page to see the full recipe and how-to video …

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The post Popular Homemade ENERGY BARS with FRUIT & NUTS (Video) appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.