When you’re shopping for energy bars, you’re met with hundreds of choices. With ingredients ranging from brown rice syrup to added fiber, they may sound like healthful choices, but many of them are little more than costly and conveniently packaged calories.
To avoid those calories, you can look for bars made with whole foods and simple ingredients like nuts and seeds with a little honey to hold them together. Or you can try our recipe for Sweet & Salty Energy Bars, which benefit your health while saving you money.
Convenient foods that provide energy are not new. In Roman times, soldiers ate fruitcakes made from barley, nuts, pomegranate seeds and honey. Long ago, Native Americans traveled with pemmican, a nutrient-dense mixture of dried meat, fat and berries. In the 1960s, astronauts munched on quick and compact snacks called Space Food Sticks that were generally made with wheat flour, sugar, protein isolate, dry milk and flavorings. By 1986, athletes were treated to chocolate protein-rich energy bars.
In today’s recipe, we used old-fashioned rolled oats for a hearty base to help keep you full. All types of oats are 100% whole grain and a good source of fiber. Crunchy flaxseeds provide thiamine, copper and fiber along with omega-3 fatty acids, a good fat that improves heart health. For sweetness, we’re using honey, brown sugar, dried cranberries and a few chocolate chips. You can also try other types of dried fruit.
The bars are soft, chewy and have a good balance of salty and sweet tastes. They’re great for a snack when you’re busy and deliver fuel while you’re working or exercising.
Bethany Thayer is a registered dietitian nutritionist with Henry Ford Health. For more recipes and health information, visit henryford.com/blog. For questions about today’s recipe, email HenryFordLiveWell@hfhs.org.
Sweet & Salty Energy Bar
Yield: 12 bars / Prep time: 30 minutes / Total time: 1 hour (plus chilling time)
2½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut
⅓ cup honey
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup of crispy rice cereal
1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup dried, sweetened, cranberries, coarsely chopped
¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper; set aside.
Spread out oats and shredded coconut onto cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, stir and then bake another 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. Transfer to a large bowl.
Combine honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract, crispy rice cereal, ground flaxseed, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is bubbling and the sugar is completely dissolved.
Pour the honey mixture into the bowl with toasted oats and coconut. Mix well. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then add the cranberries and chocolate chips. Stir to combine.
Transfer the oat mixture to the prepared pan and then use a rubber spatula or damp fingertips to firmly press the mixture into the pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or freeze for about 30 minutes. Remove the block of granola mixture from pan then peel away the foil or parchment. Cut into 12 bars.
From Henry Ford Health
160 calories (19% from fat), 3.5 grams fat (2 grams sat. fat), 32 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 55 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 12 mg calcium, 3 grams fiber. Food exchanges: 2 carbohydrate, 1 fat.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Homemade energy bars help you avoid the calories found in many store-bought versions
Reporting by Bethany Thayer / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
