Nutty Cacao Brain Bars
Think of these easy, no-bake bars as mental health self-care. The recipe comes from nutritional psychiatrist Dr. Drew Ramsey and his book Eat Complete. They fit my criteria for a great treat: easy, tasty, and packed with brain-health superstar ingredients.
I especially love the cacao nibs—small pieces of crushed cacao beans—because the chocolatey flavor shines through pure and strong. And, these nibs retain more of the chocolate’s virtues, like flavonoids, magnesium, theobromine and zinc, than other processed forms of chocolate.
Dr. Ramsey and I cooked up these Nutty Cacao Brain Bars as part of a cooking class collaboration featuring our favorite recipes to support mental health and prevent cognitive decline. Read more here.
Please note: This recipe lends well to substitutions so you can make it with whatever pantry ingredients you have on hand. Just be sure to press the bars very firmly into the pan to keep them from crumbling when cut. I like to use something heavy and flat, like a glass jar or small muffin tin, to compress the ingredients. Also, don’t skip the step that asks you to chill before cutting; I find that 30 minutes in the freezer works well.
Servings |
bars
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- olive oil for the pan
- ½ cup packed soft dates pitted (soak dates in hot water for several minutes to soften if necessary.)
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup roasted unsalted almonds roughly chopped
- ½ cup unsalted raw sunflower seeds
- ¾ cup cacao nibs
- ½ cup creamy peanut or almond butter preferably no sugar added
- ¼ cup honey
Ingredients
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- Coat an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with olive oil.
- Put the dates in a food processor and process until a thick paste forms. Add the oats and almonds and pulse until a chunky mixture forms and the dates are evenly distributed. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the sunflower seeds and the cacao nibs.
- Combine the peanut butter or almond butter and the honey in a small saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, until well mixed. Pour over the oat mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon until a thick and gooey paste forms.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and press down with a rubber spatula to flatten. Cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge or freezer for 15 to 20 minutes until set and hardened.
- Remove from the baking dish and cut into 10 even bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Adapted from Eat Complete by Dr. Drew Ramsey.
Be sure to press the ingredients firmly into the pan. I like to use the flat bottom of a muffin tin or a glass jar. Also, I find that freezing these in the pan for 30 minutes before cutting keeps the bars from crumbling.
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