Homemade chocolate bars that are high in protein, high in fiber, and rich in healthy fats make an excellent option when you're in the mood for something sweet and satisfying. These seed bars are loaded with superfoods like flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame, and almonds, providing you with a protein- and fiber-rich healthy sweet snack to enjoy this holiday season. They are crunchy, chewy, and chocolatey.
Every ingredient in this recipe is loaded with nutrients and vitamins. Research indicates that pumpkin seeds are high in fiber, protein, and unsaturated fatty acids.
Sunflower seeds provide a great source of antioxidants such as vitamin E, healthy fats, copper, and other minerals, which can aid in lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Sesame and flax seeds also offer similar health benefits.
In this recipe, the binding ingredient I chose is dates. I selected a soft and sticky type of dates, which helped the ingredients adhere and hold their shape. This allows us to eliminate any refined sugar from the recipe. Additionally, dates are rich in nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Things to note for a perfect Chocolate Seed Bar:
Dates: As I previously noted, I selected a soft and sticky type of dates to blend all the ingredients and mold them into bars. Using a dry type will make it challenging to mix the ingredients and form a shape. Instead, you'll get a coarse, powdery granola-like texture that won't hold together as bars. You can use date paste instead of dates but be mindful of the quantity used in the recipe.
Seeds: In this recipe, I combined pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, and flax seeds. Feel free to mix in and add other seeds as well. I lightly roasted all the seeds to extend the shelf life of the Chocolate Seed Bars. These bars can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for nearly 2 weeks. Alternatively, you can store them in the fridge for up to a month.
Dark Chocolate: I chose dark compound chocolate to pour over the prepared seed bar. The type of chocolate you use is up to you. Couverture chocolates can be used in this recipe, but they do melt quickly, so you'll need to store the prepared seed bars in the fridge or you can temper the chocolate before pouring it over the seed bar.
Chocolate Seed Bars:
Ingredients:
Almonds - 1/2 cup
Pumpkin seeds - 1/4 cup
Sunflower seeds - 1/2 cup
Flax seeds - 1/4 cup
Sesame seeds - 1/4 cup
Soft Pitted Dates - 1 cup (heaping) approximately 180g
Dark Chocolate - 200gm
Method:
Gently roast pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, and flax seeds separately in a frying pan over low heat for 1 minute. Allow them to cool to room temperature.
in the same way, roast the almonds in a frying pan over low heat for 3 minutes and allow them to cool to room temperature.
Next, grind the seeds and nuts together with pitted dates in a food processor or mixer grinder for a minute or until all the ingredients are crushed and thoroughly combined. To check the consistency, examine the texture of the mixture. It should be coarse and you should be able to shape it in your hand without it crumbling.
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, ensuring there is extra paper on the sides for easy lifting of the mixture later.
Transfer the seed mixture to the loaf pan. Use a spatula or the back of a flat-bottomed glass to spread and firmly press down the mixture. Press firmly to ensure the seed bars maintain their shape when cut. Once the mixture is flat and even, set it aside.
Melt dark chocolate in the microwave or using a double boiling method.
Pour the melted chocolate over the seed mix layer and spread evenly using an offset spatula.
Sprinkle sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds on top for garnish. Refrigerate the seed bar for 30 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened.
After the chocolate has set, use the parchment paper to lift it out, then cut the chocolate seed bars into the preferred square or rectangular shapes with a knife.
Store the Chocolate seed bars in an airtight container.
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