We are heading out of town for Valentine's weekend, and I'm making a batch of these energy bars so we'll have a special treat for the road. I think Valentine's Day should be as much a reminder to treat ourselves well as it is to treat those we love well. This may sound selfish to some, but self-care is in fact a cornerstone of the Whole Nourishment philosophy. Finding small ways to fit in self-care is essential in order to recharge and be actively engaged in our own lives.

Self-care does not have to be complicated and time-consuming. It's about the small things; getting off the computer 15 minutes earlier in the evening to light a few candles in the bathroom and soak in the tub, taking time to sit down to lunch during the middle of a busy day, or making yourself these energy bars so you have an enjoyable snack in the afternoon.

Other times self-care is less a physical act and more about reframing a situation (i.e. correcting the way we talk to ourselves). For example, a lot of us have long commutes by car or train and we may be saying we have no time to ourselves during the day. What if we reframed the way we thought about our commute, declared it as "me-time", and treated it as such? Instead of thinking: "I have a long commute", we could say: "This time in the car/train allows me space to collect my thoughts and transition from one part of my day to another".

By prioritizing even the smallest acts of self-care we're showing ourselves respect and appreciation for what our body and mind does for us every day. In turn, we are gentler with ourselves, we feel less self-inflicted pressure, and we're able to make clearer, more conscious decisions.

I hope you treat yourself and your loved ones to these energy bars soon. And since I won't be around to make a Valentine's dessert at home, I will leave you with a few of my favorite chocolate treats from around the web.

Chocolate Loaf Cake - 101 Cookbooks
Flourless Chocolate Almond Cakes - A Couple Cooks
Baked Chocolate Wontons - Kellie's Food to Glow
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups - To Her Core
Vegan Chocolate Lava Cakes - Minimalist Baker

Chocolate Goji Amaranth Bars
Adapted from Amy Chaplin's At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen
Makes 16 2x2-inch bars

Extra-virgin olive oil for pan
1 1/4 cup puffed amaranth (recipe below)
1 cup (86 gr) dried, unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup (38 gr) toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup (32 gr) toasted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup (37 gr) hemp seeds
Big pinch salt
1/2 cup (118 ml) brown rice syrup
1/2 cup (133 gr) toasted hazelnut butter (almond butter works too)
1 tsp. vanilla extract/paste
Zest 1 lemon
1/2 cup (62 gr) Goji berries
75 gr. 70%+ dark chocolate*, broken into small pieces

Heat brown rice syrup and almond butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat until the mixture is liquid and well combined. Remove from heat and add vanilla and lemon zest.
While the mixture is heating, combine puffed amaranth, coconut, seeds, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
Pour syrup mixture over amaranth and seeds, stir to combine, then stir in goji berries and chocolate. The chocolate will melt a little and that makes it even better!
Pour a few teaspoons of olive oil in an 8 inch square baking dish and use your fingers to coat the pan evenly. While still greased use your hands to press dough into baking dish until completely even and flat.
Cover and place in the fridge for at least 1 1/2 hours to firm up. Use a serrated knife to cut bars; store in the fridge in an airtight container.

*Since these bars are not baked, this is the perfect time to use raw cacao nibs. I usually sub half of the chocolate with cacao nibs.

Puffed Amaranth
Adapted from Amy Chaplin's At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen
Makes about 1 1/4 cups

Notes: Popping amaranth may sound intimidating but it's actually very fun and simple, takes only 15 seconds per batch, and the only "tool' you'll need is a dry pot. The process is somewhat like making crepes in that it takes a few tries to get it down but once you do it's a no-brainer. Once puffed, the amaranth will burn quickly so you must remove it from the pan immediately. If you burn the first batch, don't worry, you'll get the hang of it quickly.

1/3 cup (67 gr) amaranth

Warm a small heavy-bottomed pot with a lid over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon amaranth and cover pot immediately.
Count 5 seconds and shake pan; you will hear the grain popping rapidly. Repeat twice or until all the grains are popped.
Quickly transfer to a bowl.
Repeat with remaining amaranth, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Chocolate Goji Amaranth Bars + Self-Care