Morning!
Happy Saturday š
For a lot of us, the weekend means indulging in a tasty treat. A little bit of what you fancy does you good, right?! That’s definitely the line I’m using when it comes to these healthy ‘Mars Bars’.
While it would most definitely be lunacy to be super-strict all the time, these bars make it possible to ‘cheat clean’ and feel like you’re indulging in something really decadent.
I’m literally drooling looking at the screen as I type this!
While these ‘Mars Bars’ are probably too rich in energy for everyday snacking for the majority of us, they contain no refined sugar, dairy, gluten or soy.
Their base is simply made from pecans and soaked dates. I love the sweet flavour of pecans, although almonds or walnuts would work too. Anyone who prefers to avoid nuts could try substituting the pecans for sunflower seeds… I haven’t tried this myself, but it should technically work!
That thick, oozing, sticky caramel layer is really the showstopper in these bars. I’m thoroughly obsessed with it!
But it’s also ridiculously simple to make. I just soaked dates in warm water to soften them for my blender, then whizzed them up with smooth almond butter, a little maple syrup and vanilla extract. Again, the almond butter could be substituted for tahini (sesame seed butter) and honey could be used in the place of the maple syrup, or left out. It adds a richer flavour, but the dates bring plenty of sweetness on their own.
Dates make an amazing natural sweetener, because they’re a whole food and packed with energy to fuel an active life. They’re also a good source of fibre, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, B vitamins and folate.
So rather than eating empty calories from sugar, as you would with most commercial chocolate bars, the ingredients here also fill our body with nutrients. It’s a win-win!
The chocolate topping is just based on coconut oil, cacao powder, natural sweetener and a little almond butter to thicken it up. So good.
Needless to say, these bars were gone in about 10 minutes when I made them. My husband couldn’t believe that the ingredients were all natural!
I would love to know if you get a chance to make these ‘Mars Bars’! Simply tag #RosannaDavisonNutrition on Instagram or Twitter or come on over to my Facebook to say hello 
- 110g (1 cup) chopped raw pecan nuts
- 112g (3/4 cup) dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for 20 minutes to soften
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 150g (1 cup) dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, to soften
- 2 tbsp smooth almond butter
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp warm water, to blend
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Place the pecans, soaked and drained dates and vanilla extract in a food processor or blender, and blend until the mixture forms a dough that sticks together. You may need to add the ingredients bit by bit so as not to overwhelm the machine.
- Press the mixture down firmly in a baking tray or rubber tray, ensuring it's smooth and even.
- Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender, adding in the water if necessary, to help it blend into a smooth, thick caramel sauce.
- Spread the caramel layer across the base layer and place it in the freezer to set for 15-20 minutes.
- In a small saucepan over a low-medium heat, gently melt the coconut oil and add in the cacao powder, maple syrup, almond butter and vanilla extract, stirring well until a thick, smooth chocolate sauce forms.
- Spread a layer of the chocolate sauce across the top of the caramel layer and place it back in the freezer to set for 25-30 minutes.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the mixture into bars.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve and serve chilled.
- These bars will keep in the fridge in a covered container for up to 3 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months.