Recipe: Mayur's Protein-Packed Energy Bars

It is that time of the year when you want to better yourself with exercise routines and conscious eating, because it's all about the New Year, New Me.

But despite our best intentions, we sometimes find ourselves stuck in a rut, especially with our food choices.

A New Me means a New Menu. Add this nutritious pick-me-up bar to your list. It's naturally gluten free and filling. And quick to make -- all you need to do is melt the jaggery, mix it with the nuts and seeds, and voila your Protein-Packed Energy Bars are ready in under 30 minutes.

It has a shelf life of a month when stored in an air-tight container. But given how utterly delicious it is, we doubt if they last even a week.

Protein-Packed Energy Bars

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• 1½ cups grated gud or jaggery
• ½ cup peanuts
• ½ cup almonds
• ¼ cup pistachios
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp til or sesame seeds
• 1 tsp ghee or clarified butter
• ½ tsp ground elaichi or cardamom powder or ground dalcheeni or cinnamon powder, both optional
• Ghee to grease the pan

Method

• Heat a frying pan or kadhai and dry roast all the seeds for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat.
  Keep stirring to prevent the seeds from burning.
  Take off heat and keep aside.
• Now dry roast the nuts in the same pan for 4-5 minutes.
  Take off heat and keep aside.
• In a saucepan, add the jaggery, cardamom or cinnamon powder and cook over low heat until it starts to melt.
  Continue cooking for 10 minutes or until it starts to bubble.
  Take off heat and add the pre-roasted seeds and the pre-roasted nuts.
  Stir quickly until it forms a uniform mixture.
  Transfer the mixture onto a plate greased with ghee and spread evenly.
  Let it cool for 5 minutes, and then cut the slab into small squares or rectangles or long bars.
  Serve or store.