Dark Chocolate Superfood Bars
Kayla Howey
Instagram: @theoriginaldish | theoriginaldish.com
Photos: Kayla Howey
Nourishing yourself
I am constantly asking myself how my body feels and what it needs. I strive to give myself three satisfying, substantial meals a day, with energizing snacks in between. I like to look at food as the key to making me feel my best, which means feeding my body with vibrant foods made with real ingredients all throughout the day, plus plenty of water! And for me to feel 100 percent nourished, everything always has to taste delicious.
Ingredients for detoxing and cleansing
After holidays or a bit of heavy eating, I definitely have some go-to foods I immediately begin to consume daily: a cup of green tea in the morning and at night, raw almonds throughout the day, really colorful salads and dark greens. These foods help my body reset and feel brand new.
YIELDS 12-16 BARS
INGREDIENTS
12 oz roasted unsalted cashews
6 oz roasted unsalted almonds
1 oz coconut flakes
½ oz hemp seeds
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp almond extract
4 oz dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1 tbsp dried edible rose petals
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Add the cashews, almonds, coconut flakes and hemp seeds to a food processor. Pulse until you’re left with a course, crumbly mixture. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup, coconut oil and salt. Heat until the coconut oil melts and the mixture comes to a bubble. Turn off the heat and stir in the almond extract. Pour the liquid over the nut mixture. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix until all the nuts and seeds have absorbed the liquid and begin to clump together. Make sure the mixture feels evenly distributed. Lightly oil a 9"x13" baking dish, making sure the sides are oiled as well. Press the mixture into the baking dish and use your hands to create a flat, even layer. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool. Once the bars have cooled, melt the chocolate in the microwave (using intervals) or in a double boiler. Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the bars while they’re still in the baking dish. Sprinkle with rose petals. Refrigerate the dish until the chocolate sets up. Use a paring knife to cut the bars into pieces (you can do squares, thinner rectangles or just pretty much any shape that you’d like).