Chef Wendell: Boosting up with energy bars
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Need a healthy boost? Look no farther than energy bars! The quick snacks aren’t only delicious, but are often times enough to suffice for your energy levels. Energy bars can balance iron levels, improve digestion with fiber, provide quick energy, protect bones with their minerals and prevent heart disease with potassium.Good ingredients to seek in energy bars:
- Whole Grains: Oats are common to find in energy bars.
- Nuts and seeds contain “good fats” protein and fiber. Any kind of nut or seed is a nutritious addition to your diet.
- Dried Fruit (Dates and raisins): Full of vitamins and minerals, which white sugar and high fructose corn syrup are lacking.
- Honey, stevia, xylitol.
- Whey, pea, brown rice and hemp protein.
What you’ll need to create your own:
- 1 cup pitted dates
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup cashew pieces, chopped into small nibs
- 3 Tbsp. chia or ground flax seed (or sesame seed)
- Dash Himalayan salt
- 2 Tbsp. chocolate chips
Make sure to combine all ingredients into a food processor and pulse for about 30-40 seconds.