Coconut Snack Bars
September 6th, 2018 
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It’s official, the kids are back in school and the adults are back to their routines. Luckily for you, and the kids, here is a healthy snack that tastes good and doesn’t take all day to make. These bars are sometimes dubbed “coconut crack bars” because well you will see once you taste them. Perfect for those who are gluten-free, paleo and/or vegan, this is a treat everyone can enjoy. Can’t do nuts? Change the almond butter to sunflower seed butter. With a food processor, all you need is 15 minutes of prep time and you can get back to that busy schedule of yours. And here’s another gem for you, they freeze really well! I love keeping bars and snacks like this on hand because they are great for those “grab and go” moments. They can go from freezer to lunch box with ease.
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Coconut Snack Bars
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes, packed
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 ½ cups Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup almond butter
- 1 teaspoon flax meal
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 cup hemp seeds
- ¼ cup puffed quinoa (optional)
- ½-3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- Preheat oven to 350˚. Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper, making sure all sides are covered by at least 2 inches. Set aside. Line another baking dish with parchment and toast coconut flakes for 3-5 minutes until the edges turn golden brown. Set aside and let cool.
- Place chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Melt the chocolate in the microwave on 50% power for a minute and a half. Stir and repeat the process. If the chocolate is not completely melted, stir and continue to heat on 50% power for another 30s until it has melted. Set aside.
- Place dates in the food processor and pulse 5 times to chop it up. Then leave the food processor on until the dates are chopped and a ball starts to form. Remove the lid, break up the ball with a spatula, add in the toasted coconut flakes, almond butter, flax meal, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Turn on the food processor and blend until the mix is smooth and homogenous, about 15 seconds. You should still be able to see small flakes of coconut. Place mixture in a bowl and add in ¾ cup hemp seeds and puff quinoa (if using). With your hands or a rubber spatula gently mix until everything is evenly distributed.
- Crumble the mixture evenly in the 9 x 13 inch lined dish. Press the coconut mixture down flat so the entire surface is covered and compact. Pour the melted chocolate over the coconut mixture. Using a clean spatula or an offset spatula spread it out to completely cover the surface. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of hemp seeds and shredded coconut over the chocolate. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes until the chocolate sets and everything is firm. You should be able to pull the parchment paper up and the mixture holds the form of the pan. Slice the bars into 24 bars, about 2-inch square each, and enjoy. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- There are all types of butters out there, try using cashew, peanut or sunflower butter instead of almond.
- Go nuts and add some sliced almonds to the mix right before you place the coconut mixture into the pan.
- Store the bars in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
