Better Than Granola Bar

Yum.  I did a little, "hip-hip-hooray!" cheer for Julie Morris, the author of the Superfood Kitchen cookbook, when I made these scrumptious bars.  They certainly are not your parents' granola bars!  These treats are packed with dates, almond milk, chia seeds, rolled oats, hemp seeds and my personal favorite, dark chocolate.  Though the wet ingredients threatened to fly out of my food processor the first time I hit the pulse button, preparation was fairly simple.  Even better, the wait during their time in the oven wasn't too long.  Fortunately I restrained myself a little so there were some bars available for the photograph.

You may be wondering what hemp seed is doing in the ingredient list.  For starters, it is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which play an important role in reducing inflammation throughout the body.  It is also an excellent source of fiber and some minerals, such as zinc, iron, magnesium and potassium.  Morris indicates that, "hemp's high saturation of protein is of premium quality, as well- an easily digestible, plant-based, complete protein boasting all essential amino acids."  What's not to love?

What makes me happy about eating these, well aside from the delicious taste, is the boost of energy they give me.  Today I hopped in the pool for a swim and was so grateful to have this energy-restoring treat awaiting me at the end.  Maybe I won't mind training so much...maybe I'll even forgive myself for signing up for a sprint triathlon at the end of the summer (What was I thinking?!).