No-Bake Chocolate Chia Energy Bars

These Chocolate Chia Energy Bars are great to fuel a busy day, or as a lunch box or pre-workout snack. Packed with slow releasing carbohydrates, fiber, healthy fats, and minerals you’re granted of a pick-me-up just when you need it most. We’ve sneaked in little dark chocolate on top of the cocoa, boosting brain function, immunity and mood. Just what you need on a stressful day!

These bars are a nutritious way to take care of those chocolate cravings, satisfying and energizing! Aside from the small amount of the chocolate, these bars don’t contain refined sugars. The dates and cranberries provide natural sweetness. The healthy fats and protein in the chia seeds, coconut and walnuts really help to keep you full for longer.

Walnuts are one of the main ingredients of these bars, and did you know that walnuts are little power houses? They’re packed with antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acid, E and B vitamins and essential minerals. They’re said to decrease inflammation and promoting a healthy gut. Each portion of these bars contains your recommended daily intake of walnuts, as part of a balanced diet.

The best part about these bars is there’s no baking required and they allow for a whole lot of creativity, substitute with your favorite ingredients or finish off with a peanut butter drizzle. We added just a pinch of salt which lifts the chocolate flavor, however you could leave it out completely if you’re looking to avoid salt completely.

These make more or less 10 bars depending on how you cut them.

Ingredients:

Directions:

The 2 liter jug works best for this recipe. Add the cocoa powder, chia seeds and chocolate chunks to the jug, and pulse about 3 times to combine and rough chop the chocolate, it'll blend more later.

Add the other ingredients, blend until a thick paste forms. Use the tamper through the lid to push the ingredients into the blades.

Line a rectangle or square pan with baking paper. Scrape the dough out of the jug with a silicon spatula into the pan. Firmly press the mixture into the pan, pressing tightly into all the corners.

Place in the freezer for an hour. Lift out of the pan and cut into bars.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. 

For this recipe we used the OmniBlend I - 2ltr Pro, and you could also use the OmniBlend V - 2ltr Pro.