by Dorie Greenspan
Whether you ride, hike, run, or stuck behind a desk all day, these make for a healthy and tasty snack that will help sustain you throughout your day.
These homemade energy bars are way better than any store bought that I have purchased - not to mention super easy to make.
They are made from old-fashioned oats, almonds, raw sunflower and pumpkin seeds, coconut, and dried fruit - I used cherries, golden raisins, and apricots. I also added the zest of one small (Cara-Cara) orange.
Brown rice syrup is called for in the recipe, along with unsalted butter to bind the bars; I could not find the brown rice syrup at the three local markets I frequent; though I'm sure a health food store carries it; so I used Lyle's Golden Syrup, which I was a bit shy, by about an eighth of a cup, which I made up the difference with the last of my ginger honey (about half tablespoon), and the remainder with wild flower honey.
Individually wrapped, they make for a quick, grab-and-go snack.
The oats, nuts, and seeds are lightly toasted before being mixed with the fruit, coconut, and a bit of salt. The syrup and butter are simmered then poured over the oat mixture and some vanilla is added, then the mixture is stirred until the granola is moistened throughout.
The granola is then tightly pressed into a parchment lined pan and baked for about thirty minutes, or until the granola has a golden sheen to it. After baking, the granola is once again pressed down tightly and left to cool completely, at least three hours, before being cut into bars.
I will for sure be making these again; everyone that I shared these with enjoyed them, including myself. However, next time, I will switch out the butter for coconut oil as suggested by a fellow baker, for I thought the bars were a tad oily the next day, and I swear I could taste the butter, though no one else seemed to.
Forget those dry, hard bars that you buy in the grocery store; these were soft, moist, and delicious! I wish all "good for you" treats were this tasty.
The granola is then tightly pressed into a parchment lined pan and baked for about thirty minutes, or until the granola has a golden sheen to it. After baking, the granola is once again pressed down tightly and left to cool completely, at least three hours, before being cut into bars.
I will for sure be making these again; everyone that I shared these with enjoyed them, including myself. However, next time, I will switch out the butter for coconut oil as suggested by a fellow baker, for I thought the bars were a tad oily the next day, and I swear I could taste the butter, though no one else seemed to.
Forget those dry, hard bars that you buy in the grocery store; these were soft, moist, and delicious! I wish all "good for you" treats were this tasty.
Update: I made these again using the brown rice syrup, and coconut oil in place of the butter. They turned out firmer, not oily at all, and not as sweet. Personally I prefer the first batch made with golden syrup and butter.
It is the rule of TWD not to share the recipe on our blogs. You will find the recipe on page 328 of Baking Chez Moi; it is however, available on Google books.
Do visit my fellow baker's sites to see what their thoughts of this recipe are. You will find their links by clicking here.
