Almond Power Bar

These no bake, high-protein, high-fiber bars are based upon Melissa Diane Smith’s recipe for Amaretto Protein Bars in her book Going Against the Grain and are a cinch to make. The chocolate topping makes them seem a bit decadent (skip it if you must, they’ll still come out fine) – though dark chocolate, rich in anti-oxidants has now entered the echelon of power foods so I’ll keep it on mine. View the full recipe at http://www.elanaspantry.com/2008/02/01/power-bars/

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 12-16
• Yields: 16 bars

Ingredients

• 2  cups  almonds (raw)
• 1⁄2 cup flax seed meal (flax seeds ground in a blender)
• 1⁄2 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut
• 1⁄2 cup almond butter (roasted tastes better)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  celtic sea salt
• 1⁄2 cup coconut oil
• 4  drops stevia
• 1  tablespoon  agave nectar
• 1  tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1  cup  dagoba chocolate chips (chocodrops) (optional)

Directions

1. Place almonds, flax meal, shredded coconut, almond butter and salt in a food processor.
2. Pulse briefly, about 10 seconds.
3. In a small sauce pan, melt coconut oil over very low heat,.
4. Remove coconut oil from stove, stir stevia, agave and vanilla into oil.
5. Add coconut oil mixture to food processor and pulse until ingredients form a coarse paste.
6. Press mixture into an 8 x 8 glass baking dish.
7. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour, until mixture hardens.
8. In a small saucepan, melt chocodrops over very low heat, stirring continuously.
9. Spread melted chocolate over bars; return to refrigerator for 30 minutes, until chocolate hardens.
10. Remove from refrigerator, cut into bars and serve.