Raggedy Andy's Bars

My brother-n-law, Andy, told me about this recipe. I love it when people are excited about discovering great recipes; it’s in these moments I get to be my absolute food obsessed self and the feelings are mutual. In my head I hug the other person so hard I lift him or her off the ground and run home to get cookin’ (because of course in this perfect moment I have everything at home I need to make it). Andy loved that this bar was a quick breakfast that kept him full. And let me tell you he is no sickly computer nerd wincing in the dim light of his parents basement, he’s a dominate male who thumps his chest to display his food chain status. Keeping him full is a challenge and these bars trained, spending hours in the gym to pull off gold.

Once I got my hands on this recipe I had to bastardize them with my healthy substitutions, I’m sorry, but if I can’t be myself in the kitchen where can I? And in my 100% bias opinion I made them even better. The sucanat I used instead of brown sugar didn’t fade out the natural sweetness of the dried fruit and the whole wheat pastry flour bulked up these bars to make them even more of satisfying breakfast. Lastly the vegan “butter” I used that bound together the grain and fruit into a hand held treat wasn’t blood thickingly rich so it gave me sustained energy without incidence of lethargy. A perfect mid-afternoon, how can I make until 5pm desperation snack. This bar will shot gun you into your work flow or bring you back when your focus strays. You will reach new heights in productivity. These bars can be your secret weapon to promotion after promotion until you can retire early circling the globe on your 100 ft. yacht. Damn, get to making these bars already.

Energy Bars

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking

1.5 cups packed dried fruit (I used apricots, golden raisins and craisins)

1 cup rolled oats

¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup sucanat, or brown sugar

½ cup chopped nuts (I used pecans and walnuts)

¼ tsp. salt

¾ tsp. cinnamon

¾ cup Earth Balance vegan margarine, or unsalted butter, melted

1.5 tsp vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 350 and grease a 9x9 baking pan and line with foil.

Combine the first seven ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the butter and vanilla, combine until well blended. Press the mixture in the prepared pan and bake until top is golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack.