Chocolate Goji Berry Bars Recipe {Gluten-Free}
This chocolate goji berry bars recipe was developed exclusively for Nuts.com and our customers by Miryam Quinn Doblas, Registered Dietitian (RD). Miryam shares her passion for nutrition and healthy eating on her website, Eat Good 4 Life.
Whether you need a pick-me-up or a post-workout snack, homemade energy bars are the perfect solution. These chocolate goji berry bars are made with nutritional superstars like goji berries and pistachios for a boost of health benefits in every satisfying bite. Topped with a thin layer of dark chocolate, they are a healthy treat that the whole family will love. Mine sure did!
Made with goji berries, each bar is loaded with protective nutrients. Known for their remarkable source of antioxidants, goji berries are recognized as the ‘anti-aging fruit.’ In fact, goji berries contain even higher levels of antioxidants than blueberries or pomegranates. They also provide 170 percent of the daily recommended value for vitamin A and are considered a complete protein with all eight essential amino acids. A good source of fiber and 21 trace minerals, goji berries are truly a powerhouse of health benefits. Aside from energy bars, I have added goji berries to smoothies and trail mixes. They’re also a delicious treat to enjoy plain and I sometimes add them to my kids’ school lunches.
For these chocolate goji berry bars, I used almond butter although you can use any nut or seed butter that you like. Sunflower, cashew or peanut butter would also work well. The same goes for the nuts. Choose your favorite varieties or mix it up each time you make a new batch. Nuts lend a boost of protein, fiber and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats to the recipe.
The addition of a puffed cereal will supply extra crunch and great texture to the bars. Although I used puffed rice cereal that I already had on-hand, these quinoa puffs would give your bars an extra boost of protein.
For a post-workout snack, you might even choose to add a scoop of hemp protein powder. I love that I can control the kinds of ingredients that go into my energy bars. Plus, they’re so easy-to-make and don’t require any time in the oven. My kids love to help out whenever I make energy bars. It’s a fun activity that the whole family can enjoy together!
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 1 1/2 cups almond butter
- 1 cup quinoa puffs or puffed rice cereal
- 1/2 cup goji berries
- 1/2 cup raw pistachios, chopped
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Line a square 9x9 inch loaf baking pan with unbleached parchment paper and set aside.
- In a food processor, combine the dates and almond butter. Pulse until the mixture comes together.
- Place the mixture in a bowl and add the goji berries, chopped pistachios, puffed cereal and coconut oil. Using a spatula, mix thoroughly until the ingredients are well-combined. If they don’t come together you can add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the mixture.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and use a spatula to press the mixture down evenly until it is uniform on all sides. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate and coconut oil at 30 second intervals until completely melted. Pour the chocolate evenly over the bars.
- Place the bars in the refrigerator until firm, about 3-4 hours. Cut into squares and keep leftovers in the refrigerator.
Add Nuts.com ingredients to my cart!
This recipe was developed and photographed exclusively for Nuts.com by Miryam Quinn Doblas, RD, of Eat Good 4 Life.
4 Responses to “Chocolate Goji Berry Bars Recipe {Gluten-Free}”
The recipe says to use a 9×5 loaf pan but the photo shows a 9×9 square pan. Which works the best???
Thanks for catching that! It should be a 9×9 square pan.
Is the nutrional analysis for using rice puffs or quinoa puffs? Protein would be higher for quinoa, right?
Hi Nancy,
The nutritionals provided are for quinoa puffs. Yes, quinoa puffs do have about 4 more grams of protein per serving than rice puffs.
Allie