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Superfood Chocolate Rice Crisp Bars


Happy Friday y’all! This Friday calls for chocolate in celebration of the start of fall and sunny weekend to come.

Continuing on with our superfood series, I have created this insanely easy yet decadent dessert. Who doesn’t like bars? They are simple, portable and the options are plentiful like Lemon bars, chocolate chip cookie bars, vegan cheesecake bars and these superfood rice crisp bars!

Last week we talked about the sacred cacao nib and how it reduces the risk of heart disease, decreases blood pressure effects and is a great vegan chocolate chip option. Well the cacao nib is coming back in this recipe and is joined by the holy hemp heart!

HEMP HEART?! I know, sounds a bit scary, but trust me it’s yummy and so good for you. Hemp hearts are commonly called hemp seeds or shelled hemp seeds. The hemp heart looks like a tiny seed with a mild nutty taste.

At Zest Juice Co., we love giving people who have never tried them before a sample when they are choosing their smoothie bowl toppings. Hemp hearts have one of the most concentrated sources of protein, essential fats (omega 3 fatty acids) and vitamins in nature. If you are vegan or vegetarian hemp seeds are perfect sources of plant protein. These powerful little seeds are also known to enhance the function of your immune system.

Here is a tip for those of you who get frustrated (like me) with the high prices of superfoods. This may sound odd, but I buy a lot of my superfoods at Marshalls, Home Goods and Tj Maxx. They have an aisle dedicated to packaged food products and almost always have amazing prices on things like cacao nibs, maca powder, cacao powder, matcha powder, dried coconut and coconut oil by brands you see in health food stores.

If you or your kids are allergic to nuts, hemp seeds can be used as a replacement in baking recipes, homemade granolas, or trail mixes! I fancy spooning a tablespoon of hemp seeds on my oatmeal and of course, smoothie bowls.

Ok, enough talk- let’s get into the recipe!


2 ½ Cups crisp rice cereal

3 Tbsp cacao nibs, plus more for topping

¼ Cup hemp hearts, plus more for topping

½ Cup pure maple syrup

¼ Cup natural almond butter (or sunflower seed butter if you have a nut allergy)

4 Tbsp coconut oil

¼ Cup cocoa powder, cacao is fine too

1/2 Tsp salt

1 bar 70% vegan dark chocolate
 Mix Rice Crisp and superfoods together. Pour chocolate mixture over rice crisps and stir to coat evenly. Tightly pack into parchment lined loaf pan. Sprinkle with hemp seeds, cacao nibs and sea salt.