Recipe: Pumpkin Bars

These dense, moist bars are sweet enough to satisfy a craving, but they won’t send you into a sugar rush. Bonus: There are no refined grains in this recipe. Only nutrient-rich ingredients make this treat delicious and energizing!

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) package dates
3/4 cup walnuts
3/4 cup almonds
3/4 cup peanuts
3 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons pure pumpkin puree
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

Directions

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and continuously pulse until the mixture is thoroughly combined but some chunks of nuts remain.
2. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an inch or two of overhang of paper on two opposite sides for easy lifting.
3. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan, using a spatula to firmly press it down against the bottom of the pan.
4. Allow it to set for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, then use the paper overhang to lift the entire slab out of the pan.
5. Cut into bars.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Makes 7 servings

Calories: 397
Total fat: 26.7 g
Saturated fat: 5.1 g
Trans fat: 0.0 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 4.2 mg
Carbohydrate: 36.2 g
Fiber: 7.6 g
Sugar: 25.3 g
Protein: 10.4 g

— Skinny Liver: A Proven Program to Prevent and Reverse the New Silent Epidemic — Fatty Liver Disease by Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, with Ibrahim Hanouneh, MD (© 2017 Da Capo Lifelong Books).