INGREDIENTS
150 g porridge oats
6 heaped tbsp crunchy peanut butter
7 large pitted dates
2 scoops vanilla whey (20g - informed sport
7 tbsp honey/ agave syrup
Handful of currants
100 g dark chocolate chips (> 70%)
1 tbsp coconut oil (mixed with 30 ml hot water)
1 tsp vanilla essence
These 'no bake' energy bars are designed to be easy to make, cost efficient and taste great. Athletes often require (or crave) high carbohydrate snacks for pre/post-exercise or between meals in preparation for training session or competition.
These bars require no cooking and at a cost per serving of 25p make it a great alternative to shop bought energy bars that often contain added sugar or maltodextrin. After refrigeration, wrap them up individually. They will last around 4-5 hours in your bag (out of the fridge), although they're still good to consume after that period. Try adding flax or chia seeds for extra health benefits. Balance the texture by adding extra honey.
See the step by step guide and pictures below. Makes 15 bars.
1.
In 1 large bowl, combine 150 g of porridge oats with 6 heaped tbsp of crunchy peanut butter. Smooth peanut butter (or almond/cashew) also works fine. Avoid nut butter with added palm oil
2.
In a blender, blitz 7 large pitted dates along with a teaspoon of vanilla essence and add to the oat/nut butter mixture
3.
To the main mixture, add - 2 scoops of vanilla whey protein (or however many scoops provides 20g of protein powder); 7 tbsp of honey or agave syrup (golden syrup also works well); handful of currents (or other dried fruit); Half (50 g) of the dark chocolate chips. Mix well
4.
Mix well and add press the mixture firmly into a greased baking tin/tray. Make sure the mixture is around 1 cm thick. This can be thicker, just make sure you cut them into smaller bites at the end of the process. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
5.
Melt the other 50g of dark chocolate chips in a bowl. You may also want to add some orange zest to maximise the flavour of the topping. Using a teaspoon, generously add the melted chocolate to the top of the energy bars and refrigerate for a further 1-2 hours.
6.
After 1-2 hours in the fridge, use a sharp knife to cut into 15 even squares and enjoy!