Vegan Chocolate Date Energy Bars

These rich and chewy chocolate energy bars are naturally sweetened with dates, enhanced with the goodness of nuts and seeds, and bound with a touch of coconut oil for a luxurious texture. Perfect for picky eaters, these bars are a wholesome and satisfying treat that’s easy to prepare!

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I am on a journey to make snacking healthy, and homemade.

I asked ChatGPT for a recipe:

I have chia, sunflower seeds, salted cashews, dates, sesame seeds and other types of nuts (pecan, macadamia, walnut, hazelnut, etc.).. I want to make simple but delicious energy bars that my picky eaters will like.

It provided a recipe:

Here’s a straightforward recipe idea for energy bars that balances sweetness and crunch while keeping picky eaters in mind:

Date and Nut Energy Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pitted Medjool dates

• 1/2 cup salted cashews

• 1/4 cup pecans (or any nut of your choice)

• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Optional Add-ins:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• A pinch of cinnamon (if tolerated)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dates: Place the dates in a food processor and pulse until they form a sticky paste. If your dates are dry, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes and drain before processing.

2. Add Nuts and Seeds: Add cashews, pecans, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and sesame seeds to the processor. Pulse until the mixture holds together but still has some texture. Adjust for sweetness or saltiness as needed.

3. Shape the Bars: Transfer the mixture to a parchment-lined baking dish. Press it down firmly into an even layer. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to compact it well.

4. Chill and Cut: Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm. Lift the parchment paper out, and cut the mixture into bars or squares.

5. Store: Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for longer storage.

These bars are naturally sweet, packed with energy, and have a pleasant crunch. Let me know if you’d like to tweak anything!

I didn't have that many dates, so I asked for quantity clarifications:

Approximately how many dates are 2 cups?

It replied:

Two cups of pitted Medjool dates are typically about 16–18 dates, depending on their size. If you're using smaller dates, you might need around 20–24 to fill two cups.

For precise measurements, it’s always helpful to weigh the dates; two cups of pitted dates usually weigh approximately 300–320 grams (10.5–11.3 ounces).

I was short on dates. So I asked for adjustments:

I don't have as many, I have about 1 cup. I would also like to add cocoa powder and make it feel more "chocolaty". I do have raisins

It made adjustments:

Here’s a revised recipe for your chocolate-flavored energy bars:

Chocolate Date and Raisin Energy Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pitted Medjool dates (about 8–10 dates)

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1/4 cup salted cashews

• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dates and Raisins: Place the dates and raisins in a food processor. Blend until they form a sticky paste. If the mixture is too dry, add a teaspoon of warm water.

2. Add Dry Ingredients: Add cashews, sunflower seeds, cocoa powder, chia seeds, and sesame seeds. Blend until the mixture holds together and has a slightly crumbly texture. Taste and adjust sweetness or cocoa intensity by adding a few more raisins or another teaspoon of cocoa powder.

3. Shape the Bars: Line a small dish or container with parchment paper. Press the mixture firmly into an even layer, compacting it well.

4. Chill and Slice: Refrigerate for 1–2 hours until firm. Lift the parchment paper out, and cut into bars or squares.

5. Store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer shelf life.

The cocoa powder will give these bars a rich chocolate flavor, and the raisins will enhance the sweetness. Let me know how they turn out!

I then went to Costco and stocked up on dates:

I do have more dates now and can skip raisins

So it adjusted:

Here’s a revised recipe focusing on dates and a rich chocolate flavor:

Chocolate Date Energy Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pitted Medjool dates (about 16–18 dates)

• 1/4 cup salted cashews

• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions:

1. Blend the Dates: Place the dates in a food processor and blend until they form a sticky paste. If the mixture is too dry, add a teaspoon of warm water.

2. Add Nuts, Seeds, and Cocoa Powder: Add cashews, sunflower seeds, cocoa powder, chia seeds, and sesame seeds. Blend until the mixture holds together but still has a bit of texture. Adjust cocoa flavor if desired by adding another tablespoon.

3. Shape the Bars: Press the mixture firmly into a parchment-lined dish to form an even layer.

4. Chill and Slice: Refrigerate for 1–2 hours until firm. Remove from the dish and cut into bars or squares.

5. Store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.

These bars are chocolate-forward and naturally sweetened with dates, perfect for picky eaters! Let me know if you'd like additional tweaks.

My husband, who's a huge Chef John fan, suggested I add coconut oil to the bars, so I asked ChatGPT:

Coconut oil?

And here's the final recipe:

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Servings: 10 bars

Calories per Serving: ~150

Total Time: 15 minutes (plus chilling time)

Vegan Chocolate Date Energy Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pitted Medjool dates (about 16–18 dates)

• 1/4 cup salted cashews

• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dates: Place the pitted dates in a food processor and blend until they form a sticky, smooth paste.

2. Add the Dry Ingredients: Add the cashews, sunflower seeds, cocoa powder, chia seeds, and sesame seeds. Pulse the mixture until well combined but slightly textured.

3. Incorporate the Coconut Oil: Drizzle in the melted coconut oil and blend until the mixture starts to clump together. Add a little more coconut oil if needed to bind.

4. Shape the Bars: Line a small baking dish with parchment paper. Transfer the mixture and press it firmly into an even layer using the back of a spoon or your hands.

5. Chill and Slice: Refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours until firm. Lift the parchment paper out of the dish and cut into 10 bars or squares.

6. Store: Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.

Nutritional Value (per bar):

• Calories: ~150

• Protein: ~3g

• Fat: ~8g

• Carbohydrates: ~19g

• Fiber: ~3g

• Sugar: ~14g

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Ingredients

Mix Everything

Mix Everything

Mix Everything

Shape the Bars

Shape the Bars

Chill and Slice

Enjoy