Servings
Font
Back
0 from 3 votes

Nuts and Fruits Energy Bars {Homemade Kind Bars}

These Nuts and Fruits Energy Bars, basically homemade KIND Bars, are awesome to have around!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 10 bars
Calories: 232 kcal
Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • ½ c. roughly chopped dry roasted peanuts
  • ½ c. roughly chopped dry roasted almonds
  • ½ c. roughly chopped cashews
  • ⅓ c. crispy rice cereal
  • ¼ c. chopped dried cherries
  • ¼ c. dried wild blueberries I love the ones from Trader Joe's
  • ⅓ c. brown rice syrup look for it in the organic section of your grocery store
  • ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 oz. chopped about 1/4" size good quality bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli 60% cacao chocolate bar)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. * Just a note before you start. Don't skip the rough chop of the nuts or the chop of the dried cherries. Chopping is necessary for getting the right consistency so the bars stay together. Just a rough chop will do - don't get the pieces too fine. And if you are not using the two kinds of dry roasted nuts, as I have specified, you'll probably want to add some salt to the mix. 
  2. Preheat oven to 325° F. Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. In a large bowl, stir together peanuts, almonds, cashews, rice cereal, cherries, and wild blueberries. Drizzle brown rice syrup over the mixture and then fold to thoroughly combine. Add vanilla and cinnamon and fold again. Add chopped chocolate and fold again.
  4. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press the mixture evenly and very firmly into the pan. The mixture should be as flattened and firmly packed as you can manage. The mixture will be sticky. It helps to use a piece of wax paper to press it into the pan, or place some butter on your fingertips for better maneuverability.
  5. Place pan in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until slightly browned at the edges and just a bit soft in the center. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes before transferring the bars in the parchment paper lining to a cutting board. Cut into 10 bars. The brown rice syrup will be a bit soft yet, but will become more solid as it cools completely.
  6. Store at room temperature for up to 4 or 5 days, with each bar individually wrapped in parchment paper. Freeze any bars that won't be eaten within 5 days, wrapped in parchment paper and stored in a plastic freezer bag.

Notes

  • Adapted from Leite’s Culinaria, originally from Power Hungry: The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook by Camilla V. Saulsbury.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 232kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 19g (6%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 16g (25%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 12g Sodium 125mg (5%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 8g (16%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10bars

Amount Per Serving

Calories 232

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 232kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 19g 6%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 16g 25%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 12g 71%
Sodium 125mg 5%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 8g 16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.