During my mountain trail running adventure in the Swedish Jämtland mountains these ones were one of the few precious things I filled my tiny backpack with. Delicious and creamy bars filled with chocolate, protein and plant power to fuel you up during weekend hikes, long or short adventures, fika at home or whatever you’re up to!

As I like my bars / bliss balls to be reeeaaally creamy rather then only nutty (as it would be if using only nuts / dried fruit, something many of the bars you get from different stores are if you ask me), I like to use oats and protein powder (I use vegan unsweetened / natural pea protein to get it as clean as possible) in addition to the seeds and seed butter (which contains LOTS of protein!). Makes the most creamy chocolate protein bar ever believe me!! And also, feel free to use any nuts or seeds you want instead of the pepitas / tahini to fit your taste buds / pantry!

Let’s get baking!

Plant-based by Thess Chocolate Mountain bars

Ingredients

14 fresh dates, pitted

1 scoop protein powder (I use vegan unsweetened / natural pea protein)

1 dl / 0.4 cups rolled oats

1 dl / 0.4 cups cacao powder

2 dl / 0.8 cups pepitas / pumpkin seeds

1/2 dl / 0.2 cups light tahini

1 good pinch flakey salt

1-2 Tbsp water if needed 

For garnish

Flakey salt

dried flowers

How to

Pre heat the oven to 175°C. Spread out the pepitas on a baking tray, toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until they get slightly golden and start to pop. Let cool.

Mix alla the ingredients in a food processor until super creamy! Add a bit more water to combine if necessary. Put the dough in between two baking papers, roll out to a square using a rolling pin. Garnish with salt and flowers, roll with the rolling pin again to make the salt and flowers stick. Put the whole thing in the freezer for 1 hour. Take it out and cut in to good-size bars. Wrap them up in baking paper or aluminium foil (or just a glass box if you’re not taking them with you on adventure), store them in an air tight container in the freezer. Stays well for months! However I doubt they would ever last that long…

Hope you like them!