Homemade Energy Bar
Instead of buying pricy energy bars, fuel your fitness routine with this great-tasting homemade energy bar recipe. Whether you use these energy bars as a pre-workout snack or to refuel and recover post-workout, they'll give your body what it needs. Best of all, you can make this energy bar recipe in minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup lightly salted dry-roasted nuts, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup crispy brown rice cereal
- ½ cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats
- 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup dried blueberries or cranberries
- 6 dried apricots, diced
- 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
- 5 tablespoons brown rice syrup or light corn syrup
Directions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 250 degrees C. Line the bottom and sides of an square baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.
Step 2: Combine nuts, rice cereal, oats, pumpkin (or sunflower) seeds, blueberries or cranberries, apricots and chocolate chips in a large bowl. Drizzle with syrup and gently stir until thoroughly combined. Spread in the prepared baking pan. Coat another piece of foil with cooking spray and place on the bar mixture, sprayed-side down. Place another pan on top and press firmly to compress the mixture. (Pressing before baking helps the bars hold together after baking.) Remove top pan and foil.
Step 3: Bake until just beginning to turn golden at the edges, 20 to 24 minutes (metal pan) or 30 to 35 minutes (glass pan). Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Carefully lift the baked square out of the pan by holding the edges of the foil and place on a cutting board, leaving the foil underneath. Cut in half, then cut each half crosswise into 6 bars. Let cool completely before lifting the bars off the foil.
Tips
Make Ahead Tip: Store airtight between sheets of wax paper for up to 1 week. Or individually wrap in plastic and freeze.
People with celiac disease or gluten-sensitivity should use oats that are labeled “gluten-free,” as oats are often cross-contaminated with wheat and barley.