Energy Bars

I wanted to make something that I could pack up and send with Jana as she travels back to the Midwest. Airport food is dodgy at best and it's always nice to have something in your bag just in case you get stuck somewhere where food options are limited. I'm hoping the energy bars I made were a good addition to her carry-on.

The base recipe comes from theKitchn's 3-Ingredient Energy Bars. This recipe was super simple and super tasty. I ended up using roasted almonds, dried cranberries, a handful of coconut flakes, some orange zest, and dates.



I used to hate dates (the fruit, not the activity!!). Growing up, my mom and grandma loved this cereal that had dates, raisins, and almonds in it. I would pick the dates out and line them up along the place mat. I still probably wouldn't like the dates in that cereal now, because those cereal dates are completely different from the excellent dried dates that you can find in most grocery stores now. Make sure the dates you pick up aren't dried out and shriveled. You want dates that are a little sticky-looking and plump. They're an excellent source of fiber, potassium, and iron, so I don't feel guilty about their high natural sugar content.

Tunisian dried dates from the Korean market.
Anybody have more date recipes for me to try?

I recommend trying out this recipe, but only if you have a food processor that can really get down to business and grind things into a paste. You want everything to be really finely ground in this recipe. My basic food processor was fairly cheap (~$30) but it's been a great addition to my kitchen.

I think there are a million amazing combinations to be made with this recipe. The basic rule of thumb is using equal parts dates, nuts, and dried fruit. I guess I broke that a bit by adding dried coconut and orange zest, though, so I assume the recipe is a little forgiving.

Since you're adding other flavors, you can barely pick out the taste of the dates (unless you know the flavor well).

The key is just to grind (and grind and grind and grind) until everything comes together in a sticky clump. I flattened mine out on some wax paper, cutting them into circles and then half circles and then quarter circles (the better for sharing, my dear).

The end result is a cross between a Power Bar and Chunks of Energy (which my friend Atyya introduced me to).

Energy Bars
(makes about 16-20 servings)

1 cup almonds (roasted)
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1-2 tsp orange zest

If you want to roast your nuts, put them on a baking sheet and slide them into a preheated oven set at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Let the nuts cool a bit before tipping them into the food processor.

Grind the nuts first, for about a minutes or so on their own. (I like them finely ground, but if you'd like larger pieces, just grind everything together to start.) Add the dates (pitted!), cranberries, coconut, and zest and then grind another two-three minutes, until everything is really finely ground and the mixture is a big sticky ball.

Put the date mixture on a piece of wax paper (or straight onto a flat surface--the natural oil from the nuts will prevent it from sticking) and roll out if you want to cut them into shapes. Alternatively, roll bits of it into balls. Pop them in a container and into the fridge. They'll last for quite a while (even longer in the freezer).

If you want to stick some into your bag in the morning to eat for lunch or a snack later that day, they'll definitely keep. It'll just be a little softer that straight from the fridge.


Other possible combinations with dates (don't sub the dates!):
Pecans-Cherries
Almonds-Cherries
Walnuts-Figs
Pistachios-Apricots
Walnuts-Apples & Raisins
Sunflower seeds-Blueberries
Mix-ins: cocoa nibs, espresso powder, citrus zest, sesame seeds, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice