Superfood Energy Bars

No-bake, no-fuss energy bars packed with nuts, seeds and dark chocolate. These are the kind of thing you make on a Sunday and feel quietly smug about all week. Dense, naturally sweet and genuinely filling - they make a brilliant mid-morning snack or post-walk pick-me-up.

Nearly everything in this recipe is available from The Pear, including the nuts, seeds, oats and honey. The dark chocolate coating takes them from "healthy snack" to "actually exciting".

Makes

10 - 12 bars, depending on how you cut them

Ingredients

• 8 large dates, pitted
• 60g cashews
• 60g almonds
• 60g pumpkin seeds
• 50g oats
• 50g hemp seeds
• 50g ground flaxseeds
• Small handful of dried cranberries
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp honey (or maple syrup for a vegan version)
• Pinch of salt

For the chocolate coating

• 50g good quality dark chocolate
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• Goji berries, to finish (optional)

Method

1. Prep the dates: If your dates are on the drier side, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes then drain well. Blend in a food processor until they form a sticky paste.
2. Add the nuts and seeds: Add the cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and ground flaxseeds to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is roughly chopped and starting to clump together - you want some texture, not a smooth paste.
3. Add the oats and extras: Tip in the oats, cranberries, vanilla extract, honey (or maple syrup) and salt. Pulse again until everything is well combined and the mixture holds together when you squeeze a little between your fingers.
4. Press into a tin: Line a small baking tin or dish (roughly 20x15cm) with baking paper. Tip the mixture in and press down firmly and evenly with the back of a spoon or your hands. The more firmly you press, the better the bars will hold together.
5. Chill: Put the tin in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
6. Make the chocolate coating: Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil together - either in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, or in short 20-second bursts in the microwave, stirring between each. Mix until smooth.
7. Coat and finish: Pour or drizzle the melted chocolate over the chilled mixture and spread to the edges. Scatter over goji berries if using. Return to the fridge for another 20 - 30 minutes until the chocolate has set.
8. Cut and store: Lift out of the tin using the baking paper and cut into bars. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Tips

• No food processor? Chop the nuts finely by hand, mash the dates with a fork, and mix everything together in a bowl. It takes longer but works fine.
• Texture check: Before pressing into the tin, squeeze a small amount of mixture in your hand. If it holds together, you're good. If it's crumbly, add another tablespoon of honey or a splash of water and pulse again.
• Make it vegan: Swap the honey for maple syrup and make sure your dark chocolate is dairy-free.
• Storage: Keeps in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze individually wrapped for up to a month.

Shop the ingredients

Nuts, seeds, oats, honey and coconut oil are all available from The Pear - as are most of the extras. If you're visiting in-store, just ask and we'll point you to everything you need.