Make it Yourself — Snack Bars

Posted by Kelly Davis on 1 March 2011

I am a self-professed snack bar junkie. I love trying new snack bars, as well as my favorite snack bar brand’s newest flavors. Perusing the diet/medicine aisle at the supermarket where they keep their “healthy” snack bars is a weekly habit of mine. However, I know that even though the bars I choose are some of the healthiest snack bars you can find on the market, I can make them even healthier at home. 

Chewy Oatmeal Granola Bars (makes 8 bars)
These bars are easily customizable based on your preference for dried fruit, nuts, and any other add-ins you want to include.  Be creative and make these your own!

1 cup puffed grain*
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
¾ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
¾ cup of canned pumpkin (oil substitute)
½ tsp. orange extract
¼ cup agave syrup or honey
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup walnut pieces
¼ cup sunflower seeds

Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl: puffed grain, oats, salt, and cinnamon. Add wet ingredients and mix well: extract, canned pumpkin, and syrup or honey. Add mix-ins and stir together until evenly incorporated throughout the mixture: raisins and nuts. 

Line an 8x8 baking dish with wax or parchment paper. Use a spatula to press granola bar mixture evenly into the dish on top of the paper. 

Cook on 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Lower temperature to 250 degrees F and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Allow for bars to cool completely before slicing them into eight bars. Store in an airtight container. No refrigeration is necessary if eaten within one week. 

*I used puffed Kamut, but you could also use puffed rice or any other puffed grain you prefer.

Tasty substitutions and mix-ins:
Instead of the orange extract, raisins, walnuts, and sunflower seeds, try these delicious combinations:

-        almond extract, chocolate chips, dried cherries, and almond slivers
-        vanilla extract, chopped dried figs, and pistachios
-        rum extract, dried mango, dried pineapple, and macadamia nuts
-        lemon extract, dried blueberries, white chocolate chips, pecans

Chocolate Coconut Energy Truffles (makes 28 truffles)
Sugar is a common ingredient for energy bars and a good source of energy for athletes. These energy truffles are sweetened with the natural sugars found in dates. Even though they’re not the shape of your typical energy bar, these little guys pack a lot of the energy you need for a quick pick-me-up right before a workout or in the middle of an endurance exercise. When training for my first marathon, I packed several of these in plastic snack bags and munched on them throughout my long runs.

4 oz. cashews*
12 oz. dates, pits removed**
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. sea salt
½ cup coconut flakes

Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until everything is completely blended and works itself into a big ball on one side of the food processor. If your ingredients refuse to form a ball in the food processor, add two more dates and process again. 

Remove truffle “dough” from food processor and place on a clean surface. Pinch off a piece of dough and roll in your hand until you form a ball about 1 – 1 ½ inch thick. Repeat until all dough is used.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge to keep truffles fresh.  

*If you use raw cashews as I did, soak them in water for about two hours before using. Roasted cashews can be used as-is.

**I prefer Medjool dates, but other varieties are fine to use too.

Nutrition facts for one truffle: 63 calories, 2.4 g fat, 0.8 saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 mg sodium, 10.8 g carbohydrates, 1.3 g dietary fiber, 8.0 g sugars, 1.0 g protein

Like what you see? Check out Kelly’s blog, foodiefresh.com, for more recipes and ramblings.