Tuesday, January 13, 2015

TWD/BCM: Granola Energy Bars


For once, I didn't follow the recipe the first time.
I could have.
Had the right ingredients.
But a chocolate and peanut craving won out.

These bars can be made with any combination of oats, nuts, and dried fruit. I believe there is very little you could do wrong. 


 Here's the secret ingredient.

Thank you, Dorie, for expanding my world. It took two trips around a very large grocery store to find the brown rice syrup. Wouldn't have had the heart to go back and search the second time if I hadn't been waiting for a prescription to be filled. I hope Kroger appreciates its pharmacists as much as I do. 






Got distracted and also picked up some nice cheese while I was over on that side of the store. Heard a little story on NPR this week about a time when a woman first discovered that "some people spend money on really good cheese". That phrase stuck with me and for once I couldn't resist inspecting all the interesting selections at the cheese counter. Three tiny pieces for about $20. Looking forward to savoring them. 

Back to the granola bars. Oh so easy. I may never buy commercial granola bars again. Can't wait to try a variety of different ingredients. I can report that peanuts, raisins, coconut, and dark chocolate make a dynamite combination. The chocolate melted and made the whole thing reminiscent of no-bake oatmeal cookies. But somehow they seem healthier. I'm trying not to think of the carb count. At least this is real food. I know what's in it. My goal for the year is to stop eating food-like products. I don't eat that much junk to begin with, but after consuming "prepared" and "fast" food for a few days on the road, it's obvious how different my body feels. 

The other Tuesdays With Dorie bakers are here. Let's see what kind of granola bars they all made. 

Just for fun, here's an interesting story I found while looking for the NPR story mentioned above (which I did not find). I LOVE Norwegian brown cheese. Sliced extremely thin and piled on top of crispbread. With an apple. Makes an amazing snack. Sometimes you can find it at the regular grocery store. I'ts always available at the farmer's market. Treat yourself. Trust me.

And now a shoe. I was actually in a funeral procession when I first saw this one. Couldn't exactly pull over and take a picture. But after the cemetery and a dinner with long-lost cousins, the shoe was still there waiting. Life is short. Eat well. That's my unsolicited advice for today.


9 comments:

  1. Chocolate. Cheese. Yum! (Your bars look great!)

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  2. I've never had Norwegian cheese, but will definitely seek it out next time I'm stateside (or better yet, in Norway). That's the best kind of unsolicited advice.

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  3. Peanuts and chocolate - yum! Those wouldn't last long around here. They look great.

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  4. I like what you did with these granola bars. Chocolate is a good addition to anything. Life is indeed short....

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  5. I love the Norwegian cheese and it's layered friends and miss it dearly! And yes, chocolate must be included in any bar or so said my 11 year old.
    cheers,

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  6. Mmm, chocolate and peanuts. Yum! That snack with Norwegian cheese, an apple, and bread sounds delicious! I often eat apples and cheddar cheese as a snack, so I'll have to seek out the norwegian cheese (I'm of the some people who spend more on really good cheese variety). For your last photo, do you ever wonder how someone can lose a shoe like that? If it's from a suitcase, where are the rest of the clothes?

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    1. I have frequently pondered the mystery of the "lost soles". I make up lots of stories in my head but I think the truth must be that some of them are left over from accidents. I have no idea why the rest of the accident debris would be cleaned up and not the shoe. It doesn't make sense. Whenever I see a child's shoe, I assume that the child dropped it out the window. Of course, in January there are frequently athletic shoes that show up which I believe have been left on the bumper by people who aren't used to changing shoes when they emerge from a gym. It's a theory.

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  7. I love that this recipe can me modified in so many ways but still taste great. I've never tried Norwegian brown cheese (or even heard of it for that matter) but it's on the list now. I'm going to have to hunt it down.

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  8. Your version sounds tasty! Funny how everyone that included a picture of the syrup is the same brand; wonder if they are the only ones who make it- lol. Googled the cheese - sounds interesting. Will keep an eye out for it. Sounds like it would make a great hiking snack - according to the article I read, it is is extremely tolerant of temperature fluctuations - the preferred snack for Norwegians skiers!

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