How to Make Energy Bars:Easy, Healthy and Homemade

Ever think that you could make an energy bar just as good or better than what is for sale in the supermarket? No preservatives and a balanced blend of healthy ingredients.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• oatmeal
• ground flax seed
• sunflower seeds or sliced almonds
• raisins or dried cranberries
• honey
• cinnamon
• dried coconut
• chocolate chips or carob chips
• unsweetened applesauce

1. In an kitchen mixer, or by hand in a large bowl add 2 cups oatmeal, 1/2 cup ground flax seed, 1 tsp cinnamon, raisins or dried cranberries as desired, chocolate chips as desired, sunflower seeds or almonds as desired, and 1/2 cup dried coconut. Mix together and then add 2 cups
   of applesauce and 1/2 cup honey. Mix well. The consistency should be soft, but not sloppy, but not hard and lumpy either. So add more oatmeal or applesauce depending on what you need to achieve

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cooking sheet with baking spray and start packing your bar mix on the tray. Don't make it too think, because you want it to cook thoroughly. The thickness of your fingernail, (normal not acrylic), should be about right. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until slightly golden and crispy.

3. Take out of oven and cut into bars while hot. Let sit until cool and then store bars in air tight container or ziplock bag and enjoy! NOTE: It is important to let the bars cool off and dry thoroughly before storing them in an airtight bag. If you put them in an airight bag while moist, they will not become firm bars, they will be too soft.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use any ingredients you would like in substitution for the ones listed.
• To add protein to the bars you can add peanut butter or protein powder to the mixture.
• Here is a list of what you will gain nutritionally from these bars;
• Oatmeal=fiber
• Flax=omega 3 fatty acids
• Raisins=iron
• Cranberries= Antioxidant
• Honey= Natural sweetener
• Applesauce= Pectin, vitamin C, Vitamin A, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and dietary fibre
• Sunflower seeds or almonds= Vitamin E, Omega 3 fatty acids
• Cinnamon= Vitamin C, K and Magnesium.
• Chocolate chips= Antioxidant, but mainly just for fun.

[brianking]

on 9/19/2009 You can copy the energy bar recipes of the big brands. Look them up in the cookbook at bestrestaurantrecipes.tk

[DirkMcFergus]

on 4/2/2009 It looks like a good recipe. I'm going to give it a try. Thanks!!