Homemade Workout Energy Bar

Many of you may know I am currently training for a half-Ironman on September 30th and man my body is wiped. Working out for 2-4 hours a day is something I am definitely not used to and all this working out is making me eat much more food. One of the other keys is to find healthy carbohydrate food as I paleo and grains is not on the food list.

When I went on my trip to Thailand I ordered a bunch of snacks called Steves Paleo Crunch bars which got to be pretty expensive. When I came back to Atlanta I said I was going to learn how to make this and finally I have found the right recipe. These are great for people who workout regularly and especially those doing the high cardio training. Many of you do crossfit and for those that are I would recommend this before a high intensity workout. If your goal is weight loss then these should not be eaten in high doses without any type of training.

I will make a fresh batch and bring it to the Advanced Nutrition Workshop this Tuesday night at 6:30 PM so you can taste them. This class explains how to eat the best anti-inflammatory foods and what a food pyramid should look like based on the latest research. If you are looking to maximize your nutrition then definitely make it out this Tuesday night for our Advanced Nutrition Corrective Class.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 cup Pecans
1/2 cup Shredded (raw, unsweetened) Coconut
3/4 cup Almond Meal
1/2 cup Raw Sunflower Seeds
tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Coconut Oil (plus a little to grease the pan)
1/4 tcup Coconut Nectar

Step by Step Process:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Grind the pumpkin seeds, pecans, and coconut in a food processor until it’s a coarse flour.
3) In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin/pecan/coconut flour with the almond meal and sunflower seeds. Use your hand. This is also when you add the cinnamon.
4) Add in the vanilla and the coconut oil stir with a spatula until the mix is evenly coated.
5) Add the coconut nectar and fold the mixture together until it is consistent throughout.
6) Next, add a small amount of Coconut oil to your baking pan (8×12 works pretty well) and spread with a paper towel until it’s evenly greased.
7) Put the mix in the pan and press it in until it is even and spreads to all the sides.
8) Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on it though. Once it is golden brown and the aroma fills your kitchen, it’s ready. Remove it from the oven and use the spatula to cut it into 20 bars. Let it cool though before you take them out of the pan.