NEVER ENOUGH GARLIC

We all need a quick snack once in a while or something to grab while flying out the door in the morning. These Super Berry Bars are an easy, tasty, and healthy solution. 

Packed with nutritious nut and seeds (e.g. pumpkin seeds are rich in protein), these bars also combine the power of two superfoods: the goldenberry and the mulberry, both of which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (among other amazing benefits you can read about in the sources at the bottom of the page).

Ingredients (makes 10 small bars):

• 100 g (3.5 oz) oats
• 7 dates, pitted (approx. 100 g/3.5 oz)
• 25 g (0.9 oz) almonds, finely chopped
• 10 g (0.35 oz) pumpkin seeds, chopped
  
• 10 g (0.35 oz) goldenberries, dried
• 10 g (0.35 oz) mulberries, dried
• 40 g (1.4 oz) vegan white chocolate (for coating)
• 0.5 tsp. vanilla sugar or vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions:

1. Lightly roast the oats in an oven at 200^oC (400°F) until golden brown, and let cool once done. (This step is optional, but we feel the roasted oats add a richer flavour to the bars.) 
2. Blend the pitted dates in a blender or food processer until smooth and creamy.
3. In a large bowl, mix the date cream, cooled oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds and stir with a wooden spoon until combined in a dough-like lump. 
4. In a flat, rectangular dish (you can choose to cover it with baking paper or grease lightly with vegetable oil), flatten the dough by pressing down hard with a tablespoon or your hands. If the dough isn't pressed flat, it will crumble when you try to cut out the bars.
5. Let the dough cool in the fridge for approx. 30 minutes. This makes it firm enough to withstanding cutting.
6. Cut the dough into bars while still in the dish - this works best to reduce crumbling. Carefully tip out the dough onto a cutting board or plate.
7. Place the white chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl and set it over a bowl/pot of simmering water to melt the chocolate.
8. Coat one side of the bars with the melted chocolate, and let the bars cool in the fridge until the chocolate has hardened. And you're done!

You can store the bars in an air-tight container in the fridge for approx. a week or freeze for later.

References on Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds, Goldenberry, and Mulberry:

Lee, Y. M., Yoon, Y., Yoon, H., Park, H. M., Song, S., and Yeum, K. J. (2017) Dietary Anthocyanins against Obesity and Inflammation. Nutrients 9(10), 1089. DOI:10.3390/nu9101089 (Accessed 19 July 2019).

Puente, L. A., Pinto-Muñoz, C. A., Castro, E. S. Cortés, M. (2011) 

Physalis Peruviana Linnaeus, the Multiple Properties of a Highly Functional Fruit: A Review. Food Research International 44(7), 1733-1740. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2010.09.034 (Accessed 19 July 2019).

Shortsleeve, C. (2018) Are Sunflower Seeds Healthy? Here's What the Experts Say. Time, 17 October. Available at: https://time.com/5416869/are-sunflower-seeds-healthy/ (Accessed 19 July 2019). 

Shubrook, N. (2018) The Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds. BBC goodfood, 1 October. Available at: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-pumpkin-seeds (Accessed 19 July 2019).