1. D.Sharp’s bars

I went to London in 2009 for the Rouleur photo annual party. When I was there I was lucky enough to stay with Guy Andrews, editor of Rouleur and Taz Darling, photographer extraordinaire. Guy and I snuck out for a road ride in the countryside and towards the end of the ride he handed me a Date Bar. Maybe I was just famished, but it was the best bar I’d ever had. I kept the wrapper and vowed to reverse engineer it when I got home. This is what I came up with.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup oats or quinoa flakes
  • 1 cup spelt flakes
  • 1 1/3 lb. medjool dates
  • ½  cup cup pecan pieces raw
  • ½  cup roasted/salted pecan pieces
  • 1 cup large hazlenuts
  • ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
  • ½  cup coconut flakes

Directions

•Preheat oven to 325-350.

•Toast the oats, spelt flakes, on a cookie sheet about 15 min. until lightly browned, alternatively you could toast in a skillet

•Chop dates into ¼ in. pieces.

•Put toasted oats and spelt flakes, chopped dates, nuts, honey or syrup, and coconut flakes in food processor. Pulse until well mixed.

The mixture should not be too dry or too sticky. Should be an easily moldable mound coming out of the food processor. To make bars drier, add more oat/nut mixture. To make bars stickier add more dates and/or syrup Grease 7 x 11 baking dish with coconut oil. Bake for 20 min. Wrap them soigneur style (see “La Course En Tet” at 6:30 below) and put ‘em in your pocket. Refrigerate ‘til you need em. Makes about 16 bars

 Watching La Course en tet: Note the cream cheese and ham sandwiches made with dinner rolls. Also note the cream cheese and jam sandwiches made with same dinner rolls. If it’s good enough for Eddie in 1974…
 

2. Flax Your Muscles Bars

Adapted from a recipe in the book Power Hungry, by Camilla Saulsbury

These bars can inspire endless variations, by substituting different nuts, different dried fruit, your choice of nut or seed butter, etc. Toasting your oats or quinoa flakes can add flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups flax seed meal
  • 1 1/4 cups quick cooking rolled oats or quinoa flakes
  • 1 1/2 cups roasted, lightly salted almonds
  • 1 cup dried fruit, chopped (dates, cherries, apricots)
  • ½ cup cacao nibs
  • 2/3 cup honey, agave syrup, or pure maple syrup
  • 2/3 cup nut or seed butter of your choice
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  • Line a 9 inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper and grease it with coconut oil.
  • Place the flax seed meal, oats, seeds, dried fruit, and cacao nibs in a food processor.
  • Meanwhile combine the honey, nut or seed butter, and water in a small saucepan.  Heat over medium-low, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture is melted and slightly bubbly.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
  • Immediately pour the honey mixture over the flaxseed meal mixture in the food processor.  Process by pulsing, until the mixture is finely chopped and begins to clump together.
  • Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan.  Place a large piece of parchment paper on top of the filling to spread, flatten, and very firmly compact the mixture evenly in the pan.  Cool at least 1 hour until firmly set.  Keep in fridge.
  • Using the liner, lift the mixture from the pan and transfer to a cutting board.  Cut into 16 bars.

Wrap bars individually, and store in the fridge for 2 weeks.

 

Nutrients per bar: Calories: 252, Fat 12.4 g (Saturated 2.4) Cholesterol 0 mg., Sodium 27 mg, Carbs 26.4 (Fiber 7.1 g, Sugars 17.8 g) Protein 8.9 g

 

3. Mocha Brownie Bars from Our Four Forks

Mocha brownie bars are delicious, no-bake, vegan and gluten-free. Full of robust chocolate flavor, you'd never guess they're healthy.

Adapted from Minimalist Baker

Serves: 12

 Ingredients

  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 1½ cups pitted Medjool dates
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder (plus 1 tablespoon to dust)
  • 2 teaspoons finely ground coffee beans
  • 2 tablespoons strongly brewed coffee
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon salt 

Directions

  1. Put walnuts and almonds in a food processor and process until ground to a sand-like texture.
  2. With the food processor running, add pitted dates one at a time until well processed.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to process until mixture holds together when squeezed in your hand.
  4. Line a pan with parchment paper and press mixture into an even layer, about ½ inch think.
  5. Dust with a bit of cocoa powder.
  6. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
  7. Slice into bars of any size and keep refrigerated.