We try to always see things from the bright side even though we all have setbacks and things troubling us every now and then. That is why we have waited to tell you this story until we could find a happy ending to it.

When Luise was pregnant with Elsa she got chronic pelvic and tailbone pain. It was a pregnancy spent on crutches and in a wheelchair. During the last months it was so bad that she had to stay in bed most parts of the day. After Elsa was born it became better but not completely good. During the end of our trip around the world the pain got a lot worse again. Since then she has been on constant rehabilitation several days a week, working with the entire body. We feel a bit bad about not mentioning this in our weekly stories, since her injury and rehabilitation actually has been a huge part of our lives these last years, but as we hate focusing on the rough stuff we deliberately kept it out.

Looking at her walking, no one would probably guess how much her body was hurting. But each walk that she has taken has been punished with hours of pain. Running has been completely out of the question, even carrying Elsa has been hard at times. She has seen several doctors, osteopaths, physiotherapist, acupuncture clinics, homoeopaths and personal trainers, and all of them have given her different advices on how to get better, with no result. Finally she found a good clinic where she has been going for six months now. She has been working so incredibly hard, both there and at home, with small improvements each month. She has been going through intense treatments and medications and has a very talented physiotherapist and personal trainer. And you know what, a few days ago Luise took her first run outside! She only ran a couple of blocks and for about 10 minutes, but it was amazing seeing her in her running outfit again. With the biggest smile on her lips. She is still not fully recovered, but we think this is definitely worth celebrating. So here are our protein packed hemp bars. Perfect after a good run and for celebrating health.

Hemp Protein Bars

Makes around 15 bars

These bars are not only filled with protein, they are also magically delicious. They are sweet but it in a very nice and nourishing way. Have them after a workout or as a mid-day snack.

Dry ingredients

1 cup (160 g) pumpkin seeds

1 cup (100 g) dried shredded coconut

1/2 cup (80 g) hemp hearts (shelled hemp seeds)

1/2 cup (50 g) hemp protein powder (you can use hemp hearts instead)

4 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp bee pollen (optional)



Wet ingredients

20 fresh medjool dates, pitted

6 tbsp coconut oil, room temperature

4 tbsp cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp ground vanilla

Add after blending

6 tbsp rolled oats

2 tbsp poppy seeds

In a food processor or blender, pulse the dry ingredients quickly. Do not over-process, you want it a little crunchy. Place the mixture in a bowl and set aside. Add all wet ingredients to the food processor or high speed blender and run until smooth. This might take some time, and if your blender isn’t strong enough you might have to help out by stirring around a few times with a fork or add a dash of water.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, add oats and poppy seeds and stir until well combined. Spread the batter evenly into a 11 x 7-inch (28 x 18 cm) baking dish, make sure it becomes quite compact. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Cut into bars. Wrap them in paper and store in an air-tight container. Will keep around a week in the fridge.

Tip: If you do not have a high speed blender, place your pitted dates on a plate and mash with a fork until they are sticky and smooth as caramel, it’ll take a few minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients one by one and kneed it by hand until well combined.