3 easy-to-make, delicious vegan energy bars that will go great with your afternoon coffee

I want to bring up a painful issue that anyone who exercises and works full-time is probably familiar with.

What do you eat between lunch and your evening workout?!

On the one hand, many hours have passed since lunch and we are hungry again, and on the other hand, it is not advisable to eat too much so that we don't feel heavy or experience nausea/heartburn that will ruin our workout.

My suggestion is sweet and tasty energy bars that will give you a boost of energy, and also satisfy that sweet craving that pops up at 4 PM (with coffee).

Since we all want to perform at our best during workouts, it is recommended to eat a balanced meal three to four hours before a workout, and an hour and a half before a workout, it is recommended to eat a complex carbohydrate such as a medium fruit, a slice of bread, a handful of plain pretzels, or an energy ball*.

Please note – since our energy balls contain a rather large amount of fat (healthy and high-quality fat, but fat nonetheless), it is recommended to eat them about an hour and a half – two hours before the workout, because fat takes longer to digest – if we arrive at the workout with a full stomach, we may experience heartburn and discomfort that will impair the quality of the workout.

Nutrition consultant and fitness trainer Noam Bachar participated in the preparation of this article.

Chocolate Espresso Bar – An Energy Boost

Chocolate Espresso Bar – An Energy Boost

What do you need?

1. 12 pitted Medjool dates
2. Half a cup of almond butter or raw tahini
3. Quarter cup of hazelnuts or natural pecans
4. One tablespoon strong espresso
5. 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
6. One teaspoon vanilla extract
7. One teaspoon silan (date syrup)

For decoration:

1. Cocoa powder
2. Crushed cocoa nibs

What to do?

In a powerful food processor, grind all ingredients thoroughly until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.

With wet hands, roll 12 balls and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Roll the date balls in cocoa powder and then in the crushed cocoa nibs.

Each ball will provide you with:

135 calories, 4 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams fat, 90 mg calcium, 2 mg iron

 

Tangy Berry Bar – For Intense Workouts

Tangy Energy Bar – For Intense Workouts

Ingredients:

1. Half a cup of raw tahini
2. 12 pitted Medjool dates
3. 2 teaspoons silan (date syrup)
4. Half a cup of frozen berries
5. A little vanilla extract

For decoration:

1. Lemon zest
2. Blueberries

What to do?

Grind all ingredients thoroughly in a food processor until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.

Transfer to a bowl and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

With your hands, roll 12 balls and decorate with lemon zest (a wonderful citrus aroma).

Each ball will provide you with:

116 calories, 4 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 11 grams fat, 74 mg calcium

 

Peanut Butter and Jelly (PB&J) Bar – For Tough Workouts

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Ingredients:

For the filling:

1. Quarter cup frozen berries
2. One tablespoon rolled oats

Or alternatively, a little sugar-free jam.

For the bar itself:

1. 2 pitted Medjool dates
2. One cup rolled oats
3. One cup unsweetened peanut butter

What to do?

Start with the filling:

In a food processor, grind the berries and rolled oats thoroughly until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Set aside.

Continue with preparing the bar:

Grind all the bar ingredients in a food processor until a firm mixture is obtained.

Transfer to a bowl and chill for at least one hour.

With your hands, take a portion, flatten it, place a little of the berry filling (or jam) in the center, wrap it with the rest of the mixture, and roll into a ball.

Each ball will provide you with:

152 calories, 8 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams protein, 11 grams fat, 15 mg calcium