If you’re one of the many who skip out on breakfast and grab a breakfast bar, there is a cheaper – and healthier – alternative to the breakfast bar or refined sugary treat that passes for an energy bar these days.
According to the Nutrition Health Newsletter, the difference between granola bars and energy bars lies in its packaging. As defined by the FDA, any bar is an “energy bar” simply due to its caloric content, where granola and breakfast bars are often packaged as breakfast alternatives.
Reasons To Make Your Own Energy Bar
By making your own energy or breakfast bar, you can cut out a lot of sugar, preservatives and artificial flavouring. While there is sugar present in the dried fruits in this recipe, it’s nowhere near as unhealthy as the amounts of refined sugar and glucose present in commercial brands.
So, if you’re in a rush for breakfast, you’ll still be getting some healthy grains, nuts and fruit in your diet. It’s easier to make a batch of granola bars that lasts a few days, than it is to buy a donut every morning. Energy bars are simply re-packaged versions of granola; some may even include more fructose or soy products for protein, but you can modify the recipe below for your own tastes and needs.
A cost-saving measure might involve finding a health food store nearby that sells bulk ingredients; you could be saving more money if the nuts and oats are not pre-packaged. Note: If you can’t seem to find TSP or puffed soy, they can be easily replaced with another cup of oats.
How To Make Your Own Granola Breakfast/Energy Bar
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup puffed soy or dried ground TVP (textured vegetable protein)
- ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup wheat germ
- 2 tablespoons flax seeds
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup fruit sugar (found in health food stores)
- 1 ounce canola margarine
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup dried raisins
- ¼ cup chopped dried apricots
- ¼ cup dried cranberries, chopped
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the first six ingredients on a thinly greased cookie sheet, and toast in oven, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until just barely browned for a total of 10 to 15 minutes.
- While the ingredients are toasting, place the honey, fruit sugar, margarine, vanilla, nutritional yeast and salt in a large saucepan over medium heat, so that there will be enough room to put the dry ingredients once they are toasted. Stir, until butter is melted and sugar is completely dissolved.
- Reduce heat to low, and add the toasted dry ingredients, plus the fruit, tossing until everything is well coated.
- Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Transfer mixture into a greased 9x9 inch square baking dish, pushing everything down until well packed. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove, cool it completely, then cut into squares with a sharp knife.
If you want a peanut butter version, add ½ cup smooth or creamy peanut butter to your canola mixture, and replace the almonds with chopped raw peanuts. (If you can’t find raw peanuts try roasted, unsalted ones.)
Hate raisins? Try replacing them with chopped dates. If you want to experiment with flavours, some bulk shops sell flavoured “craisins” (dried cranberries) infused with a range of flavours. If artificial flavouring is not for you, try some tropical options, like dried guava, papaya and pineapple for a tropical treat, and use some dried coconut flakes for a “piña colada” version.
Breakfast can be as fun and inexpensive as it is fast: And no wrappers to find their way into landfills!
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