New York Times doesn’t just slap a Best-Selling honor on any old book. No, Julie Morris earned that credit with her stunning book Superfood Smothies, and she is back with what is sure to be another winner: Superfood Snacks: 100 Delicious, Energizing & Nutrient-Dense Recipes. To show us just how she combines healthy ingredients into snackable taste sensations in this new title, Julie has offered these superfood energy bars (also known as Chocolate Cherry Goji Bars) as a sample recipe. Each sweet but wholesome bite is spiked with dried cherries, goji berries and cacao nibs.
Thanks to her job as Executive Chef for Navitas Naturals, Julie knows the ins and outs of “superfoods”, including their health benefits, how to use them, and how to combine them for both optimal nutrition and taste. So not surprisingly, the first section of Superfood Snacks is a fun, informational who’s who of healthy ingredients. Though it’s tempting to jump right into the recipes, I recommend starting from page 1 – it’s an easy and educational read, and with an author as radiant as Julie, I definitely want to know what she knows!
Once you’ve got all that knowledge under your belt, then you’ve earned the right to move on to all of those unique and enticing recipes in Superfood Snacks (all plant-based and dairy-free!). Like the Rainbow Superfruit Popsicles with coconut water, maqui berry, camu berry, spinach and loads of fresh fruit. Or the Kombucha Float with homemade Cacao Ice Cream. On the savory side, you’ll find fulfilling bites like Hemp Seed Cheese, perfect for serving on Chia Thins, and Cauliflower Ranch Dip to accompany crudites.
Beautiful photographs are randomly interspersed throughout Superfood Snacks. Though there isn’t a picture with every recipe, there is certainly enough eye candy to keep you turning those pages.
Still not sure? Try these raw superfood energy bars first! They’re a classic from Julie’s kitchen, made “Larabar” style, but spiked with antioxidant rich goji berries, cherries and cacao nibs.
Special Diet Notes: Raw Superfood Energy Bars
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan / plant-based, vegetarian and paleo.
- ¾ cup raw almonds
- ½ cups raw walnuts
- ½ cup dried goji berries
- ¼ cup Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 2 tablespoons cacao nibs
- In a food processor, combine the almonds and walnuts, and process the nuts into the size of small gravel. Add the goji berries, dates, vanilla extract, and cinnamon powder, and process until the mixture forms clumps and begins to stick together. Add the cherries and cacao nibs and process briefly to incorporate the ingredients, but leave some small chunks for texture.
- Place the dough on a large sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Press the dough into a compact rectangle, then wrap it tightly in the plastic, compacting it even more. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a ½ -inch-thick layer.
- Unwrap the dough and cut it into 8 bars or smaller bites, as desired. These superfood energy bars will last several weeks unrefrigerated and covered, or keep them in the freezer for long-term storage.
34 Comments
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
If stored in the refrigerator or freezer, yes.