I was reminded about these bars last evening when I saw a friend in the lobby after our Blue Street Jazz Voices concert and she asked me for this recipe. Allyson had been one of our amazing first sopranos a few years back and she still remembered these bars from one of our Saturday rehearsals. (I usually bring a little something for the singers to munch on when we have a special rehearsal. A little additional incentive to crawl out of bed at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning.) So when Allyson mentioned wanting this recipe, I thought there were others who might also profit by having this delicious energy bar recipe. After all, spring is in the air and we are all going to need more energy to deal with the new season. If your yard is waking up from winter hibernation like ours is, you too have weeds in full “this is my year to take over the yard” mode. That means Mr. C. and I have to shed our lazy winter habits and hit the yard big time. (Really it’s Mr. C. who does all of the heavy yard work and most of the weeding. And no, that’s not because I’m lazy! It’s just that I am a fabulous supervisor, and as such my job is more cerebral. It takes time to choose and purchase plant varieties and then decide where in the yard they should best be positioned. And I am the resident expert in that regard! So Mr. C. and I play divide and conquer. I divide hard earned dollars from our bank account by greatly contributing to the financial success of our favorite local nursery (Orchards), while Mr. C. conquers the weeds by continuous backbreaking exertion throughout the northwest growing season. Seems equitable to me!) But back to energy bars. These bars are chewy and delicious and full of good for you ingredients. One of the ingredients that I particularly love is the honey. But I’m not talking about that pasteurized stuff that calls itself honey that you find in most grocery stores. I’m talking about the real thing – delicious, straight from the hive of a happy clan of gently cared for local honey bees! The kind of honey you purchase from a local source like our very own Cats Paw Bees. To quote from their website “Cats Paw Bees is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of an organic environment for the honey bee in the local community of Stanwood and Camano Island in the Puget Sound area of Western Washington. Andy & Bonnie Swanson own and operate Cats Paw Bees using natural and organic methods to raise honey bees, producing a raw natural honey filled with local floral flavors. We sell our honey in the raw state, meaning we do not heat pasteurize it. Bulk honey producers often pasteurize their product to prevent it from crystallizing. Pasteurization kills the beneficial enzymes and amino acids, reducing the health benefits. Crystallization is a natural process. Many folks like to use crystallized honey on bread or muffins like a spread. Whether you gently re-liquefy your honey or use it in the crystallized form, raw honey is the best!” And in my humble opinion, Cats Paw honey is the best honey available in our area. For more information about their honey and where and how you can purchase this lovely product, please visit www.catspawbees.com. So next time you or someone you love is preparing to use more energy than usual, or tackle the likes of fireweed or bittercress, make a pan of these energy bars. As Mr. C. is fond of saying, (paraphrasing the late Charles Schultz of Peanuts fame) “a weed free yard is like liberty, it must be won and re-won many times!” And since I want to keep my wonderful husband happy as he prepares for battle, I shall say good-by for now. I have a pan of energy bars to build! Happy Spring everyone.
- 3 c. old-fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 c. slivered almonds
- 1 1/2 c. shredded coconut
- 3/4 c. toasted wheat germ
- 4 T. butter
- 1 c. honey (un-pasteurized honey is the best)
- 6 T. brown sugar
- 1 3/4 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 3/4 c. chopped pitted dates
- 3/4 c. chopped dried apricots
- 3/4 c. dried cranberries, cherries, or blueberries (or combination)
Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on an ungreased sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ. Reduce oven to 300 degrees. Combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for a minute stirring continuously. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. Pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Stir in the dates, apricots, and cranberries. Scoop onto a parchment paper lined 10×14-inch baking pan. Using the back of a moistened soup spoon or your wet fingers, gently press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a light golden brown. Cool for several hours before cutting into serving sized pieces. Best served the next day. Thank you Ina Garten for this wonderful recipe and humble apologies for the couple of minor changes I made!