Fruit and Nut Natural Nutrition Bars

It wasn't until two weeks ago while running errands and feeling famished, that I stopped into Starbucks to get some iced green tea when I spotted Kind Bars, a fruit and nut natural nutritional bar.  Realizing that I didn't have time to stop and grab a bite anywhere, I decided to try one.  WOW!  They were fantastic with just the right amount of fruits, nuts, chew and satisfaction.  That little bar kept me full the rest of the afternoon.  I was shocked!

When I finally made it home my mission was to find a recipe for these.  I searched online and viewed a variety of recipes and even tried them, but none had the right combination of ingredients to keep them held together.  One claimed to be perfect and others had testified, but it had Brown Rice Syrup in it, an ingredient I recently wrote about.  So decided not to try this version.

Besides loving the flavor my main goal was to find a granola-like or nutrition bar that I could make to take while biking or hiking through the mountains where I'll be soon.  Typically I go on 3-4 hour bike rides and 4-5 hour hikes, so a nutritional bar is the perfect fix for a tired, hungry body in the middle of the mountains.  At $4+ a pop for a bar I'd prefer making my own, that is, if it's not going to take all day.

The first batch I made had all the right ingredients

BUT

just didn't hold together well.

The second batch I made, I added oats, 7-whole grain cereal and peanut butter, subbing out honey for Lyle's Golden Syrup..  This one turned out perfect.  If you're a fan of peanut butter, I think you'll like this.  Next time I'm going to try it with Lyle's Golden Syrup, a favorite of mine.

In addition, I chopped the nuts rather than leaving them whole, which only made it easier to slice but IMO looks prettier left in one piece.

I hope you like this quick, easy, tasty and nutritious bar.  It's a perfect snack when you're on the run!

Fruit & Nut Natural Nutrition Bars

serves 8

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats (I used Quaker Old Fashioned Oats)
¼ cup sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp almonds, chopped (I used slivered)
1 Tbsp pistachios, chopped
½ cup water
½ Kashi 7-Whole Grain Puffs
¾ cup creamy peanut butter (I used low sodium, organic)
½ cup honey (next time I'm using Lyle's Golden Syrup because I like it)
1 cup mixed dried fruit (I used, Plum Amazin's, strawberries and apricots), roughly chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine oats, seeds, and nuts.  Spread onto a foil lined sheet pan, and bake until golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepan bring water to a boil, then remove from the heat.  Add the Kashi cereal letting it absorb the water, about 5 minutes. Stir in peanut butter and honey, returning saucepan back to the stove on a  medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the fruit, oats, seeds and nuts into the peanut-butter mixture, blending all together with a rubber or silicone spatula, until ingredients are evenly coated.

4. Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan with non-stick spray.  Pour the mixture into the pan, and using your spatula, press into a uniform thickness. 

5. Cover and move the pan to the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours.

6. Cut into 8 equal sized bars. Wrap individually in wax paper, tied with twine for traveling or enjoy straight from the refrigerator.

These bars will keep at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Note: Remember this is simply a blueprint of a recipe that worked for me.  Now you can tweak this recipe to suit your taste, or allergies, and make your own unique bar.  Please share your results.  I'd love to hear them.

ENJOY!!!

Nutritious Wheat Berry Salad with Orange Glazed Chicken

Have you ever had Wheat Berries?  They are utterly delicious!  This whole grain is nutty, chewy, has a hearty flavor and texture, slightly sweet and so nutritious.

Wheat Berries contain the entire wheat kernel (except for the hull), comprising the bran, germ, and endosperm.   The germ contains natural oils that can go rancid when exposed to air, so proper storage is necessary. 

Wheat Berries have a tan to reddish brown color and are available as either a hard or soft processed grain. Containing beneficial minerals such as iron and magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin E, antioxidants, and fiber.  While fiber isn't digested easily it does help with your digestion and keeps you feeling full longer which is helpful if you're trying to lose a few pounds. 

Having a diet rich in whole grains significantly reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke in addition to reducing the risk of certain cancers and obesity while lowering cholesterol levels.. 

Wheat Berries are often added to salads, baked into bread to add a crunchy texture or added to stews.  It's important to plan ahead when preparing whole grains since many require hours of soaking. 

Hard Red Wheat Berries require soaking 8-24 hours ahead.  I covered mine with water - with about 2 inches above the grains, first thing in the morning.  Two hours before dinner I drained them and placed 1 cup Wheat Berries with 2 1/2 cups water in a rice cooker.  You can cook them in a crock pot, pressure cooker, on the stove top or microwave.  For various cooking methods and instructions view here.  I'm lazy and don't like to stand over them so I used my rice cooker and let it do all the work. 

To bring out their nutty flavor you can even toast them in a skillet prior to cooking. 

I cooked 1 cup of  dry Wheat Berries (that had been soaked)  yielding approximately 3 cups cooked.  If you'd like to make a larger batch to save for later, it would be necessary to store the cooked Wheat Berries in a jar with tight fitting lid, for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.  You can also freeze them for up to 3 months then simply defrost in the microwave or refrigerator overnight.  To reheat in the microwave place in 1/4 inch of water, cover and heat over medium-low until they are softened and warm.

Note: If you forget to soak the Wheat Berries ahead of time you can also use the quick soak method like you would with beans.  Placing Wheat Berries in a pot, covered with an inch of water, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.  Drain and cook as directed.

If you're like me and only cook what you're eating, then I recommend you store your dry Wheat Berries in a jar or container with a tight fitting lid.  Store in a cool, dry pantry for up to several months.  Since whole grains can go rancid,  you could store them in the refrigerator but it's not necessary

Hopefully these tips will help insure that you make perfect Wheat Berries.  On to the recipe!

Back in the late 70s, Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins came out with The Silver Palate Cookbook which became a bible in everyone's kitchen.  One recipe I have used over and over again is called "Nutted Rice."  I love this recipe and so does everyone that's ever tasted it.  I've tweaked it numerous times but when deciding to make a Wheat Berry Salad I thought of this recipe.  Of course  I've changed most every ingredient in this but, it was the Nutted Rice recipe that inspired me to make my Wheat Berry Salad.  I think you'll enjoy it.

Besides Wheat Berries being packed with protein and nutrition I've added other heart healthy ingredients to this salad.  I love the addition of fresh and dried fruits to my salads whenever I can, which makes them naturally sweet.  If you aren't familiar with  Plum Amazins they're diced dried plums that have 50% more fiber, 19% fewer calories amd 50% less sugars' than raisins and cranberries AND they're delicious!  I decided to opt for these luscious little morsels to add that extra pizazz to my salad.  With the addition of a fresh fruit vinaigrette and almonds it makes it next to impossible to stop eating.

Wheat Berry Salad
serves 6

Ingredients:

1 cup Wheat Berries (found at Whole Foods or Bob's Red Mill),
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup slivered, blanched almonds
1 cup SunSweet plum Amazins
zest of 1 large orange
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Soak Wheat Berries for 8-24 hours in a pot of water covering 2 inches above the grains.  Drain and place in desired vessel with water, following cooking instructions.  Wheat Berries should take about 1 - 1 1/2 hours to cook unless using a pressure cooker.

Transfer cooked Wheat Berries to a bowl adding the rest of the ingredients.  Let stand for at least 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.  Serve at room temperature.

I think you'll love this salad.

Since I've included so much information here I think in a couple of days I'll go ahead and post my Orange Glazed Chicken that I made to go with this.  So stay tuned.