I am slightly obsessed with chia seeds lately. I know, I know, they’re not a superfood, but they do have some good fiber and they are so versatile for cooking. I have been eating chia puddings pretty much every morning, and I also love chia seeds in kombucha.
Chia seeds are pretty energizing, which makes them a great addition to a paleo energy bars recipe. These bars also have almonds, coconut, chocolate, and dried cranberries for a delicious balance of good fats and carbohydrates.
These bars don’t have to refrigerated to stay solid, so they are the perfect addition to a road trip, camping trip, sports practice, or emergency purse stash.
They taste kind of like a beefed-up macaroon because they have so much coconut. Delicious!
[Tweet “These delicious chia snack bars are portable and energizing!”]
Shared at Naturally Sweet Tuesday, Fat Tuesday , Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party
- raw almonds – 1 cup chopped
- unsweetened coconut flakes – 1 cup
- chia seeds – 1/3 cup
- dried cranberries – 1/3 cup
- dark chocolate – 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped
- salt – 1/2 teaspoon
- egg whites – 2
- pure vanilla extract – 2 teaspoons
- pure maple syrup – 1/4 cup
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease an 8″x8″ glass baking dish with coconut oil.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the almonds, coconut, chia seeds, cranberries, chocolate, and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites, maple syrup, and vanilla. Pour over the nut mixture and mix well.
- Press firmly and evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Let cool, slice, and enjoy.
Love these so much! In fact, I am baking a double batch to ship to my daughter who is 1500 miles away at Voice/Musical Theater Camp for 5 weeks!
I have made these many times, with several substitutions… Sometimes I add an egg yolk, sometimes I sub chopped dated or dried tart cherries for the cranberries, and I often change up the nuts, using a mix of whatever I have on hand. Today I was a bit short on coconut, so I just made up the difference in volume with ground flax seed.
My favorite thing about this recipe is that it is very shelf stable;many of the other snack bar recipes I use are heavy on coconut oil and/or almond butter, and really need to be refrigerated!
Thanks for an excellent recipe that allows us to follow our strict nutrition plan! I DO wish I could substitute xylitol for the maple syrup, since we try to avoid sugars, but I have only had luck with using 1/2 maple syrup plus 1/2 xylitol, since the maple syrup helps hold everything together.
I have a couple of questions. Can I substitute honey for maple syrup? My husband is allergic to tree saps, no cedar or pine oil products in our home, maple syrup gives him instant congestion with runny nose and watery eyes.
Also why do you use egg whites only? Isn’t the whole egg more nutritious? Just wondering. Thank you.
Karen
Hi Karen! Great questions! To answer your first one, yes, you can totally sub honey for the maple syrup. And you’re right; whole eggs are more nutritious than just using the whites. The reasons I opt to not put yolks in this recipe are purely culinary. Egg whites are pure protein and water. Protein is very sticky; it creates the perfect “glue” to hold the bars together and help them crisp up. Adding the yolk, a mixture of lecithin, nutrients, and fat, may soften the bars or make them a little more crumbly. However, feel free to try it and let me know how it worked!
Looks great, a friend of mine son was just told he has diabetes so sending her this link. Following and shared, thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays.
Hi Joyce! Thanks for sharing and welcome! 🙂
I needed this recipe! My are involved in tons of sports and this would be great for them. Pinned. We really appreciate you taking the time to be a part of our party. Please join us tonight at 7 pm. It is a pleasure to have you! http://loulougirls.blogspot.com/
Happy Monday! Lou Lou Girls
Thanks for asking me to link up!
Yum! This look and sound scrumptious. Just to let you know — Chia seeds are considered a superfood in with hempseed. I also love chia puddings and I use milled chia seeds as a egg substitute in recipes since I have an allergy to eggs. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays Blog Hop
These look great – Paleo energy bars can be tricky, but I love everything in these. Must try!!
Thank you and thanks for stopping by!