Honey almond power bars

It must be power bar week! On Wednesday, Aimee posted some great-looking cherry energy bars, and here I am today with dried-fruit bars of my own. I bookmarked this recipe awhile back, and made it one morning before work—that’s how quick and easy it is. It’s one of those customize-at-will recipes; there are options for every single item on this ingredient list! Oats (old-fashioned or quick), almonds (use chopped walnuts or pecans instead), sunflower seeds (raw, salted, or honey-roasted), flaxseeds (whole or ground), sesame seeds (raw or toasted), cereal (puffed rice, kamut, or millet), dried fruit (add or substitute things like chopped dried cherries or apricots, goji berries, dark raisins, et al.), nut butter (almond, peanut, or cashew), sugar (raw/turbinado, sucanat, or brown), honey (use agave nectar or brown rice syrup instead), extract (vanilla or almond), and even the sea salt (just use good ol’ table salt).

Some people seem to think that an energy/power bar is the same thing as a protein bar, but they serve very different purposes. For an athlete, or anyone who runs marathons like me, it’s important to distinguish between the two. While protein bars can be good for recovery snacks or meal replacements, a power bar, or energy bar, is actually quite low in protein. It’s meant to be more of a carbohydrate delivery system, providing a mix of slow- and quick-release carbs to fuel workouts, balanced by small doses of fat (to slow digestion) and protein (to aid muscle recovery). So don’t look to a bar like this to keep you full for hours—eat one for a pre-workout energy boost instead.

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp flaxseeds
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 cup unsweetened whole-grain puffed cereal
1/3 cup dried blueberries
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup creamy almond butter
1/4 cup raw (turbinado) sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Spread oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds and sesame seeds on a rimmed baking sheet.



Bake until the oats are lightly toasted and the nuts are fragrant, shaking the pan halfway through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the cereal, blueberries, cranberries, and raisins; toss to combine.



Meanwhile, combine the almond butter, sugar, honey, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently, until the mixture bubbles lightly, 2 to 5 minutes.



Immediately pour the almond butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon or spatula until no dry spots remain.



Transfer to the prepared pan. Lightly coat your hands with cooking spray and press the mixture down firmly to make an even layer (wait until the mixture cools slightly if necessary). Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes, before cutting into 10 bars.



Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to a month; thaw at room temperature. These are more delicate than storebought power bars, but I’m quite happy to exchange durability for wholesomeness in this additive- and preservative-free snack. They’re toasty, fruity, nutty, and conveniently grab-and-go!



Yield: 10 bars. Per bar: 202 calories, 7.5g fat (1g sat), 32.2g carbs, 4g fiber, 4.5g protein.

If you like this, you might also like...
No-bake almond butter balls
Oat crumble jam bars
Banana wheat germ muffins

Black olive tapenade

Even though last entry’s whole grain rosemary-garlic bread is absolutely mouthwateringly perfect all on its own, it’s also great with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or a savory dip. This black olive tapenade, also courtesy of Urban Vegan, makes a particularly excellent pairing with that bread or any other.

1 cup pitted black olives
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp capers, rinsed
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp miso paste
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper

Put all ingredients in a food processor (or Vitamix).



Pulse until almost smooth, then transfer to a small container. That’s it!



Sodium-watchers beware, this tapenade is salt-tastic! But it’s SO good; full-flavored, garlicky, and satisfying. Whether you eat it on whole grain bread, beer bread, flatbread, pita chips, crackers, or even raw veggies, I know you’ll love it.



Yield: 4 servings. Per 1/4 cup: 135 calories, 13.7g fat (2g sat), 3.8g carbs, 1g fiber, .6g protein.

If you like this, you might also like…
Curry lentil crackers w/spinach-avocado dip
Tuscan white bean dip
Indian spice hummus

Whole grain rosemary-olive bread

I don’t really make New Year’s resolutions. When I decide I want to do something, I just do it, whether it’s January or July. That said, I do think it can be healthy to look ahead at the coming year as a whole and think of some things you’d like to accomplish. A goal I loosely decided upon this year is to conquer my "fear" of yeast breads. It’s not that I’m literally scared to make them; in fact, I’m not even really afraid that I’ll mess them up. It’s just the time factor. It feels like they take for.ev.er, and when it comes to baked goods, I’m more of an instant gratification type of girl (many a burned finger or tongue can attest to this). I did make pizza dough at home once, but other than that, I’ve avoided anything yeasted.

The time had come for that to change. As I already mentioned, I love the Urban Vegan’s still-newish cookbook, and I chose one of Dynise’s recipes to get me on the yeast-bread-bandwagon. With the necessary advanced planning, it was just as easy as she promised, and even more delicious than I could have imagined.

3 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
3-4 cups whole grain flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup pitted black olives
3 Tbsp dried rosemary, crushed
2 tsp yeast
1-1 1/2 cups warm water

In a small pan, heat 1 Tbsp of the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Let cool.



Finely chop the olives and set aside with the onion and garlic mixture.



In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 3 cups flour (I used 1 cup spelt flour and 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour) with the salt, olives, sautéed onion and garlic, and rosemary.



Stir in the yeast, then add the water (I used just over a cup to start with; you may need more). Add more flour as needed, in 1/4 cup increments (I only needed just over 1/4 cup, but this can vary greatly). Knead until smooth, using the mixer’s bread hook. Spray the dough lightly with cooking spray and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.



Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.



Punch down the dough, then knead on a Silpat or a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Form into a boule (a round loaf) and place on a greased cookie sheet.



Let rise for half an hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the loaf with the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil. I tried slicing an X in the top of my bread, like those fancy artisan loaves in the store, and it sort-of worked.



Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the loaf is browned and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool completely (seriously, don’t skimp) on a wire rack before slicing.



I am not kidding, this stuff is unbelievable! The savory duet of onion and garlic provides a beautiful accompaniment to the depth and heartiness of the yeast and rosemary. There are lots of olives in there, yet the bread has no briny or overly salty taste—just great olive flavor. In fact, I sneakily fed pieces to two avowed olive-haters, and both of them LOVED it (one even called it the best bread he’s ever tasted!). If I, a yeast bread novice, can turn out something as stupendous as this, I can only dream of what mouthwatering breads I’ll bake in the future.



Yield: 1 loaf, 16 large slices. Per slice: 130 calories, 3.7g fat (trace sat), 22.2g carbs, 4g fiber, 3.3g protein.

If you like this, you might also like...
Tuscan white bean dip
Whole wheat beer bread
Indian spice hummus

Chocolate banana bread

No wordy intro for this one, folks. This sweet bread is another holdover from before Europe, and its entire raison d'être was simply that I was craving chocolate + bananas at the time. I modified the recipe from Veganomicon to produce this lighter, lower-fat loaf that’s perfect for breakfast, snacktime, or dessert.

2 large ripe bananas, well mashed
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
2T molasses
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, applesauce, oil, sugar, and molasses.



Sift in the flour, cocoa, coffee, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.



Use a wooden spoon to fold the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined (do not overmix), then gently fold in the chocolate chips. You can use semisweet, milk, white, swirled, or just about any type of chip you please.



Transfer the batter to the prepared pan...



...and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.



Invert onto a cooling rack, then flip the bread right side up and let cool completely before slicing. I like to cut it into bite-size pieces for easy snacking. I must say, I still like my peanut butter banana bread better, but if you’re seeking the classic combo of chocolate + banana, this quick bread hits the spot.



Yield: 1 loaf (12 slices). Per slice: 205 calories, 7.3g fat (2g sat), 35g carbs, 3g fiber, 2.7g protein.

If you like this, you might also like…
PB–banana "Elvis" cupcakes
Choc-oat banana walnut cookies
Peanut butter banana bread

Grated carrot salad

In 2005, my grandma Nanny and I attended a special event at the Kansas City Culinary Institute. It’s a great little facility in downtown Overland Park that holds a huge variety of cooking classes and events. They host regionally acclaimed chefs on a pretty regular basis, but the advent of Sara Moulton was an especially momentous occasion. Sara is the executive chef of Gourmet Magazine, and at the time, her Food Network show Sara’s Secrets was still on the air. She had just released a book called Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals, and was making appearances to promote it. The event at KCCI filled up in a snap, but luckily Nanny snagged us spots among the 100 or so attendees.

It was a really unique opportunity to see a celebrated chef, author, and TV personality in action. First, the crowd gathered in the demonstration area. The kitchen sits on a small stage, and although there is seating for the audience, there were so many people that it was largely standing room only. Sara emerged to a roar of applause, and proceeded to prepare three recipes from her new book (a signed copy of which was included with the price of admission!): this grated carrot salad, white chicken chili, and pecan pie squares. She was relaxed and talkative as she cooked, telling stories of her work at Gourmet Magazine and her time on Cooking Live. After the show, we all filtered into the dining hall to eat the meal that she had just made on stage. As we dined, Sara roamed the room with a glass of red wine, stopping at each table to chat. When she came over to us, I had my picture taken with her (she is a SHORT little lady!) and got to talk to her a little. During the show, she had made a tongue-in-cheek remark lamenting the lack of "real" chefs on the Food Network, and I just had to ask her who she might be referring to. She laughed and demurred, but did disclose that it was probably who I was thinking it was (wink).

Now, the meal, working backwards from dessert...the pecan pie squares were rich and amazing—basically, it was pecan pie filling, poured over a crust made of whole graham crackers and baked. I’ve made them many times since (my friend Emily consistently requests them in place of cake for her birthday). The white chicken chili (at the time I was ok with white meat) was good, though a little creamy for me. The introductory carrot salad, though, was not only the strangest thing I ate that day, but probably the strangest thing I’ve ever eaten. I’d never tasted this combination of flavors before, and haven’t tasted it since. It’s sweet, salty, spicy, briny, and tart all at the same time. I’ve made this again and again, yet I still can’t quite figure it out! Despite how just plain weird it sounds, this salad is deeply delicious and somehow utterly addicting. I urge you to put aside your doubts as I did, and give this complex, scrumptious dish a try.

3T extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp paprika
1 lb carrots, peeled if desired
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2-3 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste



Grate the carrots, either by hand or (preferably) in a food processor using the coarse grating disk.



Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they turn a shade darker and become fragrant, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the paprika, and let the mixture cool. This smells SO good. If you want to keep the salad raw, you can skip this toasting step.



Toss the carrots with the cooled oil mixture. Add the raisins, olives, cilantro, lemon juice to taste, sugar, and salt to taste. If you don’t have golden raisins, I’ve used dried cranberries instead with great success. This time, I didn’t have any fresh cilantro, so I just left it out. You could also use parsley in its place.



Serve at room temperature or refrigerate, covered, and serve cold. If you ask me, it’s by far the best after sitting in the fridge overnight. Though each flavor is distinguishable, they marry so interestingly that every bite communicates the overall sense of “What the– yum!” There’s really no way to accurately illustrate the unique taste of this chewy, crunchy salad—you’ll just have to try it yourself.



PS—Sara has a new show, Sara’s Weeknight Meals, on public television. I haven’t seen it yet, but making this salad reminded me I need to check it out. You should too!

Yield: 8 servings. Per serving: 111 calories, 6.6g fat (.5g sat), 13.8g carbs, 3g fiber, 1.2g protein.

Blueberry cornbread muffins

With a bounty of summer berries at my fingertips, it was about time I baked with them (something besides my famous blueberry cobbler, that is). I turned again to Vegan with a Vengeance, and reduced the fat a little bit in the sunny blueberry-corn muffins. I took these to my friends’ 4th of July cookout, so I made them red-white-and-blue (er, more like pink-yellow-and-blue, but it’s the thought that counts) by crowning each one with a plump little raspberry.

1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup soymilk
2T soy yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
Zest of one lemon
1 1/4 cups blueberries
12 raspberries, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flours, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, applesauce, soymilk, soy yogurt, vanilla, and lemon zest. I also tossed the berries in another bowl with a couple spoonfuls of the dry mixture.



Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined. Carefully fold in the berries. Sorry for the blurry photo here...



Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Gently press a raspberry in the center of each, and sprinkle with a little sugar if desired.



Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.



These muffins are not too sweet on their own, so they’re great with a little Earth Balance or butter for spreading, and/or jam or jelly for smearing, and/or agave nectar or honey for drizzling. They’ve got just the right amount of crumble, and I like how each burst of blueberry complements the coarse, almost crunchy nature of the cornmeal. They’re perfect as handheld snacks, a light dessert, or (my personal choice) breakfast. No matter when or how you eat them, they make a summery, guilt-free treat.



Yield: 12 muffins. Per muffin: 155 calories, 5.4g fat (trace sat), 24.4g carbs, 2g fiber, 2.8g protein.

If you like this, you might also like...
Cherry almond muffins
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Curry lentil crackers w/spinach-avocado dip

When I ordered Brendan Brazier’s The Thrive Diet from Amazon a couple weeks ago, I couldn’t wait till it came in the mail to try out one of his nutrient-dense dishes. A web search yielded this cracker recipe on the Vegetarian Times site. Curry + lentils? It was made for me! It also brought to mind another VT recipe for a great raw Indian dip I’d had my eye on for some time, and it just so happened I actually had spinach in my fridge (left over from my green smoothies). I knew they’d make a perfect pair.

For the crackers:
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup cooked or sprouted lentils
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2T balsamic vinegar
1T coconut oil
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp agave nectar
Salt to taste

For the dip:
4 cups (about 6 oz.) spinach leaves
1 large avocado, peeled, pit removed
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp minced fresh ginger
Dash chili powder
Dash cayenne pepper
Dash cumin

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a food processor, combine all cracker ingredients. If you don’t have chickpea flour (I happen to, since I cook a decent amount of Indian food), I’m sure whole wheat pastry or all-purpose would work fine.



Pulse ingredients together, then process until incorporated. It will still appear grainy.



Lightly grease an 11x15-inch baking sheet with cooking spray or extra coconut oil. Spread the mixture on the baking sheet as thinly as possible. I used a wooden skewer as a miniature rolling pin, but this was still the best I could do:



Not quite a full pan, to say the least. Oh well; just call it "rustic." Gently score it with a knife to mark desired cracker size before baking. I also sprinkled them lightly with salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before breaking apart.



Meanwhile, make the dip. So as not to overload the food processor, I pulsed together half the spinach and half the avocado first, then added the other halves of each.



Once roughly chopped, add the remaining ingredients...



...and process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl or container and refrigerate. The longer it chills, the yummier it gets. When the crackers have cooled completely, dip away! Is that a ridiculously vibrant green, or what?



The crackers are delicate, but hold up just fine against the lightly-textured dip. They’re hearty and filling (remember, all the saturated fat in these is coconut-derived), and the flavor is super-unique. I could pick out a faint taste of sunflower seeds, a tiny tang of balsamic, and just a whisper of curry and cumin. They’re salty, savory, and full of "umami." When the crackers are gone, there will be plenty of dip left, so plan to eat it with raw veggies, in sandwiches, on pita bread, as a veggie burger topping (which I tried; delicious!) or any other way you can dream up. Despite the seemingly minimal seasoning, it packs a massive flavor punch. I don’t see seasoned salt called for often in recipes, but I think it really made a difference here. And I’m telling you, this dip is downright silky. The luxuriously smooth avocado sends the spices spinning in all directions across your palate. And I couldn’t taste the spinach! Victory!



Crackers—Yield: 2 servings. Per serving: 258 calories, 17.6g fat (7g sat), 18.5g carbs, 6g fiber, 8.8g protein.
Dip—Yield: about 2 cups. Per 1/4 cup: 102 calories, 8g fat (1g sat), 8g carbs, 5g fiber, 2g protein.

If you like this, you might also like...
Indian spice hummus
Tuscan white bean dip

Very berry “green” smoothie

I truly do mourn the fact that I don’t like greens. I just can’t stand the taste or texture of anything leaf-like. I’ve wanted to find a way to incorporate greens into my diet despite my aversion, but I admit that my complacency had me in a state of inertia. Now, however, it’s time I make a move on this desire of mine, and feed my body what I know it’s long hungered for.

You're not going to see me munching on salads or anything like that, but I was inspired by Kati’s post about "green monster" smoothies. I resolved to take the stealth approach, and sneak some greens into me. Reassured by the promise that I wouldn’t detect any leafy taste, I took a deep breath and bought my first ever bag of spinach last Wednesday. Go me! On Thursday and Friday, this was my breakfast.

6-8 strawberries, hulled
1/4 cup fresh or frozen blackberries
1/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 1/2 cups (2 big handfuls) spinach leaves
1/2 banana, frozen
1/2 scoop protein powder
1T ground flaxseed
1/3 cup vanilla or plain soymilk
1/4 cup crushed ice or ice water

Watch out; this’ll go fast. Put all ingredients in a blender.



Pulse to combine, then purée completely. You can add extra water a spoonful at a time if it looks too thick.



Pour into a tall glass, and enjoy! I’m thrilled to report that you cannot, in fact, distinguish one hint of greenery in there. I looove my berries, and all I could taste were their sweet, tart, fresh flavors. And it’s so very healthy—just look at those nutritionals! This made a fantastic post-workout, pre-work meal, and it’s made me eager to find more ways to slip spinach and other greens into my diet. Look forward in the next couple of weeks to a post about how I used the remainder of that bag of spinach to craft a mouthwatering, savory…well, you’ll see.



Yield: 1 serving. Per serving: 252 calories, 4.6g fat (trace sat), 38g carbs, 14g fiber, 20.4g protein.

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Watermelon agua fresca

Chocolate brownie muffins

A long introduction is not necessary for this recipe—trust me, it will speak for itself. I enjoyed the cookies I made a couple weeks ago enough that I went searching for other Bethenny Frankel baked goods. Also on the Health Magazine website, I came across a recipe for Mariska Hargitay’s "guilt-free chocolate muffins." I made them as soon as the coconut cupcakes were gone, and I only altered a couple little things. Behold.

1 cup applesauce
1 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp almond extract (optional)
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp instant coffee granules (optional)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 8 cups of a muffin tin (or 16 cups of a mini-muffin tin) with paper liners and coat lightly with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, oil, sugar, and extracts. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and coffee.



Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.



Spoon the batter into the muffin cups.



Bake for 20-22 minutes (16-18 minutes for minis). Let cool slightly in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.



Any kind of frosting on these would be preposterously unnecessary. They are so moist and gooey inside, they’re almost lava cake-esque. Using mini chocolate chips was a good idea, I think; since they disperse so evenly, you end up with a muffin that’s melty throughout, instead of just scattered with pockets of chocolate. I’m a big believer in applesauce in baked goods, but the moisture and tenderness of these completely blew me away. No one would ever guess these are vegan, let alone nutritious. They’re fast, easy, healthy, small-batch, and use ingredients you probably already have—what are you waiting for?! Go make them NOW! I promise you’ll fall in love.



Yield: 8 regular or 16 mini muffins. Per muffin (regular): 154 calories, 5g fat (2g sat), 30g carbs, 3g fiber, 2g protein.
Per muffin (mini): 77 calories, 2.5g fat (1g sat), 15g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 1g protein.

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Crème-filled German chocolate upside-down cake
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