Every afternoon, at around 3pm, I have a serious energy slump. It coincides perfectly with the 4-hour marathon from school pick up to the kiddos bedtime that feels as though I’m hiking Mount Everest in a blizzard with an elephant on my back. And while in the before-time (i.e. before kids) I would have reached for a coffee, since becoming a mom I just can’t handle that much caffeine mid-afternoon. Because as exhausted as I am at 3pm, the minute my head hits the pillow my brain goes into overdrive. So I decided to jump on the matcha train and give it a go. Enter these chewy chocolate matcha energy bars.
Matcha is a powder made from ground green tea leaves. It is extremely high in antioxidants, especially one that has been shown to help fight inflammation in the body. It also contains caffeine and the amino acid, L-theanine. Together they promote alertness without the feeling of tiredness that often follows a coffee. They may also improve your mood, memory, and concentration. So in an effort to keep myself awake during school pick up, put myself in a good mood with my children, and help me remember where I put my car keys, I added matcha to some other nutritious ingredients to produce these chewy chocolate matcha energy bars. If you suffer from mid-afternoon slump, why not try making a batch? Just don’t let the kiddos get hold of them. Kids + caffeine is not a good mix!
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 6 tbsp water
- 1¼ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup raw almonds
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ⅓ cup cacao powder
- 2 tbsp matcha powder
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 medium ripe banana
- 1 small avocado
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease an 9 x 9 baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Mix together the flax seed and water and set aside for a few minutes.
- Put the oats, almonds, and cashews in a blender and pulse until fine.
- In a large bowl, mix the blended oats, almonds, and cashews with the coconut, cacao powder, matcha powder, chia seeds, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, mash together the banana and avocado.
- Add the maple syrup, coconut oil, and flax seed mix to the banana and avocado, and stir to combine.
- Pour the banana mixture into the oats and mix well.
- Put the mixture into the baking pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Place in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Once completely cool, cut into bars and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Did you know you can change the course of your health just by eating the right food? I am here to show you how you can eat simple healthy food without stress, guilt, or shame.
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