Vegan Hempies: Chocolate, Banana, and Medjool Dates
Hemp is here to stay. From lotions to sweet treats, hemp (seeds) are from the same species as cannabis but a different variety. The seeds are packed with vital nutrients that resemble a tasty nut flavor. They are high in omega-3 and omega-6, and have about 25% of their calories come from high-quality protein. These seeds can be consumed raw (I love adding them to smoothies or oatmeal), cooked or roasted.
When using a “no-bake” recipe, I try to add these small but mighty seeds for a nutrient-dense crunch. For added protein and healthy fat, I used almond butter and bananas to naturally sweeten the bars.
Make these ahead then store in the freezer! The ingredient list is so cheap and beats your $10 coffee shop treat by a long shot. You can get creative and add additional ingredients like nuts or follow mine below! I highly recommend not leaving out the Medjool dates (nature’s most delicious candy).
Vegan Hempies: Chocolate, Banana, and Medjool Dates
Serves: 12 bars
- 1 cup almond butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup hemp seeds (trader joes is my go-to)
- 1 cup Medjool dates, chopped
- 3 cups natural krispy cereal (check health food stores for their version of rice krispies)
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
For Top:
- 2 cups vegan chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup almond butter
Method
- In a large bowl, mix almond butter, maple syrup, mashed banana, and Medjool dates until smooth.
- Once batter is mixed, add in hemp seed and Rice Krispies.
- Add parchment paper to a baking dish or grease pan with olive oil then pour the mixture into dish and smooth over and set aside.
- For the top, melt chocolate and almond butter together in the microwave then pour on top
- Put in the freezer for 20-30 minutes (continue to check so it does not get too hard)
- Cut into squares and ready to serve!
