Chocolate-Cherry Nut & Seed Snack Bars

These yummy snack bars are loaded with goodies that promote overall health, including sleep.

Seeds, much like nuts, are rich in magnesium, selenium, zinc, vitamin E and B vitamins that help relax the brain and the body. Particularly pumpkin & sesame seeds are very rich in tryptophan which is a key nutrient in getting good rest.

Cherries, another ingredient in this recipe, are a natural source of melatonin, which helps to regulate the sleep-wake cycle and dark chocolate is also very rich in tryptophan and contains good levels of magnesium which is extremely helpful in reducing stress levels in the brain.

INGREDIENTS

For snack bars

• 2 ½ cups unsweetened puffed quinoa cereal
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• ⅓ cup salted roasted or raw pepitas/pumpkin seeds
• ¼ cup dried cherries or dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp. ground flaxseeds
• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1/3 cup almond butter made with the NutraMilk
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ⅛ tsp. salt
• ½ cup mini dark chocolate chips or finely chopped dark chocolate

For almond butter

• 2 cups (300g) almonds
• 1/8 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Making almond butter
  • Place almond and salt in the NutraMilk container.
  • Press Butter cycle, set for 12-13 minutes.
  • Press Start.
  • Open the container lid.
  • If necessary, set for an additional 1-2 minutes for a creamier butter.

• Position a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 300 degrees F. Line an 8-inch-square pan with parchment paper, letting it overhang on two opposite sides.
• Toss cereal, walnuts, pepitas, cherries (or cranberries), sesame seeds and ground flaxseeds in a large bowl.
• Combine maple syrup, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the honey is more fluid and the salt is dissolved. Pour the honey mixture over the dry ingredients and fold until everything is moistened and sticky. Let cool for 5 minutes.

• Fold in chips (or chopped chocolate) until evenly distributed. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a fork. Using the back of the fork, press the mixture very firmly all over. (Alternatively, cover with parchment paper and press firmly all over.)

• Bake until the top is golden brown, about 35 minutes. (If in doubt, take it out so the honey does not burn.) Run a knife along the unlined sides of the pan to detach the bars. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour. Use the ends of the parchment to lift the bars from the pan. Gently peel off the parchment. Use a heavy sharp knife to cut into bars or squares.

Prepared and photographed by NutraMilk nutritionist, Florencia Tagliavini.