Summer is officially here in Chicago! Which means I put on a bikini for the first time in a full year and between us, I was not feeling super confident. Even though I’m only sporting it at the dog beach and my dog couldn’t care less what I look like and only how far I can throw her ball, I’m trying to make small snacking changes now so the next time I slip into it, I look and feel fabulous.
The past few weeks have been completely insane and I have been slacking on my marathon training and healthy eating. Over the weekend, I took some much needed R&R and spent the majority of my time food prepping for the week ahead while watching reruns and wondering why Carrie and Aiden never made things work. I also ran 3 miles in the 90 degree heat with about 80 percent humidity. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but if you’ve ever experienced a summer day in Chicago, you know exactly how I felt!
I’ve been experimenting with these protein bars for a while now and if you follow my Instagram, you’ll have seen the progression. This has been my favorite recipe by far! I even brought them in for my co-workers to try and they were completely gone before I was out of my first meeting.
No Bake Cashew Pistachio Chocolate Chip Protein Bars
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups pistachios (shelled)
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 1 c chocolate chips
- 1 package of pitted dates
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1/4 cup of organic local honey
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
In a food processor, chop the nuts and chocolate chips into desired size. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Using the food processor, blend the dates, chia seeds, and honey together. This will be sticky. Add to the large mixing bowl and incorporate both textures. Add in the coconut oil to this mixture as well.
Using a large sheet of parchment paper, shape the mixture into a rectangle and place in the freezer. Freeze for at least 2 hours to “set” the bars. Use a knife to cut into bar shapes and wrap individually. Keep frozen until you’re ready to enjoy.
These are perfect for a pre-workout snack, breakfast or mid-day chocolate fix!
