That said, there are a few perks to making your own delicious little energy-giving snacks at home. For starters, you’ll save more than a few extra bucks every week—especially if you can easily scarf two daily, like moi—and you can tailor the ingredients and their proportions to your heart’s content. Because we could all use a few more toasted almonds in our midday nosh, amirite?
To that end, we’ve found the perfect three-ingredient, 15-minute, vegan-friendly RXBAR #duuupe that’s delicious, nutritious, and won’t burn a hole in your pocket. (…And you could quite easily toss these together during your next commercial break.) How to make them, ahead.
Why you should be making this budget-friendly recipe for energy bars on the reg
While easy to make, these no-bake blueberry almond energy bars from Dana, the recipe developer and writer behind Killing Thyme, are anything but basic. They’re made with three simple ingredients: roasted almonds, dried blueberries, and pitted dried dates. And although that might not sound like much, the combination of these three ingredients, in particular, is explosive—especially when it comes to their nutritional value.
Almonds are filled with fiber and plant-based protein
For starters, almonds are a go-to snack for nutrition experts because they’re loaded with fiber (more than peanuts and cashews combined, in fact). Additionally, they’re a good source of plant-based protein: One cup of almonds has over 30 grams of protein. Eating them regularly has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and stabilized blood sugar levels. Other research also confirms that almonds can quickly help you recover from workouts by reducing inflammation and soreness.
Blueberries are anti-inflammatory af
Blueberries are home to a goldmine of antioxidants. “Colorful berries like blueberries contain helpful plant compounds called anthocyanins, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that support brain health and improve memory and concentration,” registered dietitian Sarah Maver, MPH, RD, previously shared with Well+Good. They have about three grams of gut-friendly fiber per one-quarter cup serving, too.
Dates are a potassium powerhouse
Onto the third and final ingredient: Dates. Like the dried blueberries, dates help give these tasty bars delicious sweetness free of any refined sugars. Plus, did you know that you can get nearly twice as much potassium from the same serving size of Medjool dates as you can from bananas? And to complete the trifecta, there’s fiber in this ingredient, too. Meaning every single ingredient in these bars will help keep you regular. Who isn’t in?
3-ingredient blueberry almond energy bars recipe
Yields 12 servings
Ingredients
1 cup roasted almonds
1 cup dried blueberries
1 cup pitted dried dates
1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Meanwhile, spread the almonds on a baking sheet and bake them until slightly toasted and aromatic—about 10 minutes—ensuring you don’t overcook them.
2. Remove almonds from the oven and allow them to cool. Once cooled, put them into a food processor or high-powered blender along with the dried blueberries and the dates.
3. Pulse the mixture to break everything apart. Blend for about 15 to 20 seconds, and if using a high-powered blender, use the tamper to press down on the ingredients. Pulse, blend, and keep this going until the mixture sticks together and forms a ball.
4. Empty the mixture onto wax paper or parchment. With your hands, press the mixture down and form roughly an eight-by-eight-inch square. Next, wrap or secure the mixture with the wax or parchment paper and place it in the fridge for about an hour.
5. Finally, remove it from the fridge and cut it into 12 smaller squares. Then, place them in a container, and refrigerate for up to three weeks.
An RD shares the best store-bought protein bars:
