Chocolate Brownie Nut Free Energy Bars

Chewy, chocolatey, and great to take on the go, these Chocolate Brownie Nut Free Energy Bars are a healthy snack that’s free from added sugar and nut free, making them the perfect healthy school snack.

Nut Free, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by SunButter. Thank you for supporting the brands that make the Chelsey Amer Nutrition blog possible!

I’m a snacker. I eat mini meals throughout the day because I just don’t like the feeling of being too full. As a mom, I feel like I never have a chance to make a full meal anymore, so it’s snack here and there or nada. (I’m sure my fellow new moms can relate!)

One thing I’ve had to pay attention to over the past few months, however, is to make sure I’m a conscious snacker. That I’m not just grabbing the most convenient option but making sure it’s something that can 1) keep my energy elevated and 2) help me feel good. Because what good is a snack if it leaves you with an energy crash 30 minutes after eating it? No Bueno!

>> Learn more about SMART SNACKS here! <<

One of the easiest options to quickly grab has got to be energy bars. But for those of us with food allergies to tree nuts and peanuts, it’s not so easy. Most bars contain nuts, or at the very least are “Manufactured in a facility that processes tree nuts and peanuts.”

If you’re a mom of a child with nut allergies, I know you can relate! Or perhaps your kiddo goes to a nut-free school?

School safe nut-free snacks can be hard to find!

Here are some of my favorite nut-free snacks for school:

• Dry roasted edamame or chickpeas
• String cheese
• Yogurt
• DIY trail mix (made with seeds, dried fruit, chocolate chips)
• Allergy-friendly energy bars

But many of the nut free energy bars on the market contain more added sugar than I typically would care for, so in true Chelsey fashion, I decided to make my own nut free energy bar.

These Chocolate Brownie Energy Bars are a nutritious and delicious nut-free, school-safe snack.

OK, so they may not taste exactly like a gooey and fudgy chocolate brownie. I don’t mean to be deceiving with the title of the recipe, but they definitely taste like a chocolate brownie energy bar!

There’s no added sugar or grains, just energy-boosting dried fruit, seeds, and seed butter.

Ingredients in these Nut Free Energy Bars:

The high-quality, real food ingredients in these bars will help you feel good too:

Dates are THE ingredient to use when you want to naturally sweeten a recipe without added sugar. Dates are a concentrated source of sweetness, so no other sweetener is needed, but these still taste dessert-esque! Dates also contain many good-for-you nutrients, including iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus.

When blended into a paste, dates bind the remaining ingredients together. If your dates are not soft (most are not when purchased), it’s essential to soak them for about 10 minutes before blending/processing.

Organic SunButter is another binder in this recipe. I prefer using the organic variety because it’s free from added sugar or salt. This way, you can control sweet and salty balance.

SunButter is rich in magnesium, plus contains healthy fats and some protein to keep you full.

Sunflower Seeds add some texture to this recipe, without tasting gritty. Blend/process the mixture until very tiny pieces of sunflower seeds remain.

Ground Flaxseed is another source of healthy fats in these Chocolate Brownie Energy Bars. Flaxseed is rich in alpha-linolenic acid omega-3 fatty acids, which are heart-healthy. Even more, snacking on fats will keep you full, making it a great bridge between meals.

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder imparts the chocolate flavor. Plus, cocoa powder is full of antioxidants too.

Salt is a small, but mighty part of these bars! To balance the sweetness of the dates, salt is essential. I also like to sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top once I cut them into bars. Trust me and try it!

How to Make Chocolate Brownie Energy Bars

This recipe could not be easier to make. Soak the dates, then blend with the remaining ingredients. You can use a high-powered blender (I used my Vitamix) or a food processor. You will likely have to pause to scrape down the sides of the blender/processor a couple of times until you reach the consistency you’d like.

Once the ingredients are processed together, transfer the mixture into a parchment-paper lined loaf pan. A loaf pan is the perfect size for bars. You can also use a silicone loaf pan without the liner. The recipe calls to refrigerate the bars for at least 15 minutes to make slicing into bars easier, but you can cut right away for a bit of a sticky situation.

Alternatively, if you don’t feel like making bars you can roll into energy bites or balls.

Tools you may need to make these bars:

These Chocolate Brownie Nut Free Energy Bars are…

• Chocolatey
• School safe
• Delicious
• Full of healthy fats
• Filling
• Allergy-friendly
• Plant-based

Print

Don’t Forget to PIN IT…

XO