Radiant Skin Collagen Beauty Bars

I love RxBars and often recommend them to my naturopathic patients as an on-the-go breakfast or a smart snack. But I thought I could tweak them just a bit to make a good for your skin treat too. Turkish apricots are much lower in sugar than dates plus they are packed with Vitamin A so they are better for acne prone skin. The combination of zinc from pumpkin seeds and Vitamin E and magnesium from sunflower seeds supports collagen production and promotes clear skin. Brazil nuts contain selenium needed for detoxification. Finally I swapped egg for collagen peptides to help give your skin elasticity and prevent fine lines.

Makes 9 bars

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (about 2 ounces)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (about 2 ounces)

8 Brazil nuts

1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons Vital Proteins collagen peptides

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup dried Turkish apricots (about 8 ounces)

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Place the nuts and seeds in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until finely chopped into a crumb consistency, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Add the collagen peptides, turmeric, sea salt and cocoa powder and process for 30 seconds. You may need to stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the apricots and vanilla extract and process for 1 to 2 minutes. The processor will be very full so the dough might not form a ball, but it should feel slightly tacky and hold together when squeezed. The mixture will not feel dry or powdery once the apricots are completely incorporated.

If you are like me and using a smaller 2 cups sized food processor, first empty half the nut/seed ground mixture into a clean bowl. Then add 1/2 of the apricots and process together. Once full processed empty the contents into another clean bowl and repeat the process again with the remainder of nuts, seeds and apricots. I then mix both processed mixtures together, half the mixture and process each half again.

Line an 7x7-inch baking pan with a parchment paper sling. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Press down into an even layer with your fingers. You can also use a small piece of parchment to help you press the dough into a smooth layer and keep your hands from getting too sticky. I also roll a tin can on top to make everything as smooth and tight as possible. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes to set. Grasping the parchment, pull the slab out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Using a pizza cutter or large knife, cut into 9 (2 1/3- x 2 1/3-inch) bars.

Transfer the bars to an airtight container. Divide each layer of bars with a piece of parchment to keep the bars from sticking together. Bars can also be wrapped individually in parchment paper for easy transport. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.