Chocolate & Cranberry Christmas Bars

The date sand cranberries in this recipe are traditional Christmas treats, and give a natural energy boost via natural sugars. No need to stock up on caffeine or a processed sports drink while you’re out! Buckwheat is gluten free so you’re not weighed down by any bloating if you experience difficulty digesting gluten, while the dark chocolate chips and cocoa powder contain heart-healthy fats and antioxidants. Make these bars and keep in the fridge to grab through the week, or freeze for when you know you'll need them most. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped dates
• 2 cups dried cranberries
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 4 cups buckwheat puffs (available in Holland and Barrett and lots of health food shops)
• 2 tbsp dark cocoa powder
• 1-2 tsp virgin coconut oil
• ¼ tsp good quality salt (I add a small amount of salt to most chocolate recipes, as it helps to bring out the ‘chocolatey’ flavour)

Optional topping: If you’re serving these at a get-together, grate over some good quality dark chocolate for extra cocoa goodness.

Method

• Place your dates in a pan and cover with water. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the dates are easily turned into ‘mush’.
• Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine
• Once your dates are nearly finished, add the coconut oil and stir well
• Scoop the date and coconut oil mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir well to combine everything
• Once everything is well combined, scoop into a baking tray or dish lined with brown paper, foil or non BPA cling film.
• Leave to cool completely
• Place in the fridge over night*
• When you’re ready to serve, cut into bars or bite-size squares, and grate over optional good quality dark chocolate if you want to make your guests think you’re really good at this whole ‘party food’ thing…
• Eat, share and enjoy!

*For best results – I’d suggest finding something that fits on top of the tin – like a book – covering it in non-stick brown paper and placing this on top to weigh the mixture down and create more compact Christmas bars. This will make them a lot easier to cut up and serve!

‍