Salted Chocolate Cranberry Energy Bars

Put your hands up if you don’t eat breakfast and snacking before noon isn’t your strong point!! Thank goodness, I’m not alone! I catch a lot of heat from Kevin for it, he wants me to make more of an effort to eat breakfast and snacks and lunch and eat regularly. I know he’s right. Don’t tell him that, though!

As right as he may be, his mornings look a heck of a lot different than mine! Here’s the deal, mornings in our house are no joke – especially when he is at work.  Mine are filled with 10 minutes of glorious snuggles with the kids while I struggle with the idea of getting out of bed, “MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOMMY MOM”, getting two kids’ breakfast on the table in between picking outfits for at least 2 of us, and getting myself ready for work, running out the door hoping that I remembered Zenen’s blankie and Aedyn’s whatever she’s carting around that day.

Gah. Mornings are stressful. It’s a wonder I manage to get a cup of coffee in most days.

Back in my gluten free days, I discovered this thing called a LaraBar. I stumbled on them at Costco one day, and OMGEE, a bond was formed. Here were these awesome little bars that tasted good and had no bad stuff in them. I was amazed and my tastebuds were so happy! I ate a lot of LaraBars.

Then, one day I couldn’t find them at Costco anymore. I had the sads. And then I had the thinks. I got an idea so brilliant it was like a lightbulb went off above my head!

Why couldn’t I make my own energy bars? I had read the ingredients label. I knew what was in a LaraBar. Dates. Almonds. Chocolate. Cashews. Apples. Cinnamon. Real life food! Things I could pronounce! Things I had in my own kitchen!

So I did it. And I’ve done it many times since. These chocolate cranberry energy bars are a perfect for a breakfast on the run, like mine usually are. They freeze well, thaw well and are good for you!

Salted Chocolate Cranberry Energy Bars

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Ingredients

• 1 lb medjool dates, pitted
• 3/4 cup whole raw almonds
• 1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
• 1/2 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chunks
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 tsp coarse Himalayan salt - optional

Instructions

1. Add dates and almonds to food processor fitted with S blade and process until well combined and sticky.
2. Add dried raisins, chocolate chips and coconut and pulse until well combined, but not pureed.
3. Remove from food processor and flatten on a cutting board.
4. Cut into bar sized pieces.
5. Carefully remove each piece and individually wrap in parchment paper or wax paper.
6. Store in freezer, and remove from freezer a few minutes before eating.