This recipe and blog post is sponsored by Northwest Cherries.
No oven, no problem!
These energy bars are the perfect spring snack that you can feel good about eating and sharing with friends and family. Made with only 3 ingredients and no added sugar, they are balanced with high quality carbs (sweet cherries)! for energy and protein and good fats from nuts and seeds. Plus there are three different ways you can make them depending on your nuts and seeds of preference.
Spring is here, which means that summer is just around the corner. Although fresh sweet cherries are only available during the summer months, you can enjoy their goodness year-round with dried, frozen or preserved cherry options ! For the base of this recipe, I used no-sugar added dried Northwest Cherries preserved from the summer which adds natural sweetness, filling fiber and a slew of vitamins and minerals.
Some of the benefits of cherries include:
Energy: Cherries are a good source of carbohydrates that give us energy. They also happen to have one of the lowest glycemic indexes of almost any fruit, which means they keep you feeling full and energized, longer, without the spikes and dips in energy.
Sleep: Does daylight savings time have you up at night? Studies suggest that cherries are a natural source of melatonin which helps control your internal clock and regular sleep patterns.
Fiber: Fiber helps keep things moving through the digestive tract and may help remove bad cholesterol from the bloodstream to support a healthy heart. Eating cherries cannot only help you meet your fiber goals; you are also meeting one of your recommended two servings of fruit for the day.
Tune in to CBS WSPA this week for healthy eating tips in honor of National Nutrition Month.
If you make this, be sure to share with me on Instagram!
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
|
- 1 cup dried sweet cherries
- 1/2 cup pistachios
- 2 tbsp coconut flakes, unsweetened
Ingredients
|
|
- Add dried sweet cherries to a bowl with water and soak for 20-30 minutes.
- Drain cherries and transfer to a food processor with remaining two ingredients. Pulse until batter is crumbly and form into bars with your hands. Place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to harden.
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
|
- 1 cup dried sweet cherries
- 1/2 cup peanuts
- 2 tbsp hemp hearts
Ingredients
|
|
- Add dried sweet cherries to a bowl with water and soak for 20-30 minutes.
- Drain cherries and transfer to a food processor with remaining two ingredients. Pulse until batter is crumbly and form into bars with your hands. Place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to harden.
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
|
- 1 cup dried sweet cherries
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
Ingredients
|
|
- Add dried sweet cherries to a bowl with water and soak for 20-30 minutes.
- Drain cherries and transfer to a food processor with remaining two ingredients. Pulse until batter is crumbly and form into bars with your hands. Place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to harden.
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