Meatless March Day #17: Minestrone & Energy Bars

Tonight for dinner we had a very favorite of ours Crockpot Minestrone.  The recipe is on Day #1.  I actually just pulled it out of the freezer and let it sit in warm water in the sink for a bit to thaw some and dumped it in the pot on Med/Low until it was hot all the way through!  Super easy! Super healthy! Super Yummy! :)

But here is one of my family's very favorite snacks that I took about 5-10 minutes out of my day to make!!

Kid's Energy Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups natural peanut or almond butter (1 like to do a cup of each)
1 1/3 cup of honey (raw is best)
1 1/3 cut of protein powder or wheat germ or ground oats or chia seeds flax seed meal or any combination you like.  The idea is powdery and lots of fiber and protein.
4 cups of cereal - something flax, look for very crunchy high fiber-at least 4 g per serving
Sprinkle of semi-sweet chocolate chips (vegan)

1. Melt  peanut butter and honey in a pot over the stove.  Remove from heat and stir in powder and then cereal. 

2.  Line a 9x11 brownie pan with wax paper and spray with nonstick spray.  Pour the goopy mixture in the pan and spread evenly.

3.  Add a sprinkling of chocolate chips and press into the batter.  Refrigerate for a couple hours. Makes 48 bars!  Remove from pan, picking up by the wax paper. Cut with a pizza cutter after they firm up and wrap individually with plastic wrap for portion control.

They are very yummy and a great snack but not low calorie! So, show some restraint.  :)

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Homemade Clif Bars...mmmm!

 

This is a base recipe for Clif bars, you can get creative and add some extra stuff in if you would like!  Also note, I can fit all this in my super large food processor, but feel free to do the recipe in a half batch, if you have a regular size food processor.  I make huge batches of everything because I have a house full of vulture-like men! :)

Ingredients:
33 Pitted Medjool Dates
2 cups Raw Almonds
2 cups Rolled Oats
1 cup Shredded Coconut
1-1 1/2 cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325. Grind up the oats and the almonds in the food prcessor.  When they have a crumbly consistency, add the dates and coconut. Process together and then slowly add the water as you pulse the ingredients together.  A batter will form.  It will be sticky and thick.  Lay a piece of wax paper (larger than your pan) on a 9x11 brownie or casserole dish. Spread batter out to all sides using your hands or a spatula. Press mixture with spatula, so it will be firm. Bake for 20 minutes.  Cool completely and then remove from pan and cut bars with pizza cutter. I wrap with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.  The plastic wrap helps them last longer...because fingers are constantly in them!