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Squashed fruit bars are becoming quite popular, but they’re super easy to make yourself! Great for kids (in moderation), great for an energy boost mid run, or if you need a sugar hit without the masses of free refined sugars you find in many energy bars.
Yesterday I whipped these up in minutes. All you need is a food processor and a ready pair of hands to roll out the little balls. These can be made in bulk and then frozen for later defrosting and consumption!
These come in around 80-85kcal per bite
Cocoa and cranberry bites
These are dairy free, gluten free (depending upon the oats you choose!), and vegan (if you choose maple syrup).
Ingredients
40g dried cranberries (look at the ingredients and go for the ones with the highest cranberry content – I chose Ocean Spray craisins (65% cranberries), but you might find something better)
25g rolled oats
2 tbsp of sugar-free cocoa (such as Green and Black’s organic cocoa)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100g walnut pieces
1 tbsp maple syrup (or honey if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp of pure peanut butter (I used Meridian’s, which is 100% peanut, no salt, no palm oil)
Method
1) Put everything in the food processor and blitz into a large ball
2) Remove and mould into 16 balls with the palm of your hands
3) Refrigerate for about an hour, or freeze for later.
Date, apricot and sesame bites
Ingredients
140g pitted, dried dates soaked in hot water until they form a toffee texture
100g ground almonds
25g sesame seeds
100g dried soft apricots
1 tbsp of pure cocoa powder (I used Green & Black’s organic cocoa – no dairy, no added sugar)
1 tsp cinnamon
Method
1) Put everything into a food processor and blitz until a single large ball forms
2) Roll into 16 balls using the palm of your hands. If the mixture is still sticky, you can dip them in ground almonds or coconut flour and then try and roll them.
3) Chill in the fridge for about an hour, or freeze for later.
*These recipes were adapted from the January 2016 edition of Healthy Food Guide
Seb is a writer and blogger of food and nutrition. He holds a bachelors and a masters degree in nutrition science, and has studied sports and exercise nutrition at postgraduate level. He specialises in plant-based nutrition and believes passionately that we can all live with a little less meat. He writes for www.veggieandspice.com and www.itsaboutnutrition.com
