September 10, 2015 – Food on the Move!

In This Issue:

Dense Nutrition To Go
RECIPE: Greek Yogurt Muesli Bars 
Baking Pans 101
RECIPE: Salty-Sweet Trail Bars
< For Baking Homemade Power Bars>
RECIPE: Black Bean High Protein Brownies
Cookbook Review

INTRO   

“Good Food on the Move”

INTRO TEXT   

It’s a grab-and-go world! How often do you depend on a “power bar” as a source of quick energy, or for breakfast, or lunch? IN THIS ISSUE, we’re making our own nutrition bars and saving money! We’re featuring three bars: Greek Yogurt Muesli Bars, Salty-Sweet Trail Bars, and Black Bean High Protein Brownies.

Thumbnails
 “Homemade Power Bars”

MAIN BODY:

Dense Nutrition to Go!
It happens to all of us at some point in the day – an energy emergency! Whether it’s due to a missed meal, or some level of heroic activity, the hunger is real. Energy bars to the rescue! We’ve been known to keep a couple bars in the desk drawer or glove compartment for ready access when the moment calls for a healthy response. 

Power bars come with different nutritional profiles based on the targeted need: quick energy, balanced nourishment, or dense nutrition. Most energy bars are balanced blends of carbohydrates, healthy fats, protein, and fiber that provide both short-term, and long-term satisfaction.

Why Make Your Own?
Save Money – Most commercial power bars cost several dollars each. Making your own can save a ton of money very quickly especially if there are several in your family that routinely pack a power bar in their pack or bag.

Manage the Ingredients – Not all power bars are created equally. The ingredient list might contain all kinds of unfamiliar names, refined or artificial elements, or items that you would like to avoid. We like versions that use real ingredients with minimal processing. When you make your own power bars, the choice and control of ingredients are yours! Some ingredients may not be common in your pantry today, but you’ll easily find them in the health market section of your grocer.  Control the Size – Some energy bars are too big, some too small. When you make your own, you have control of how big to make the bars and you get to decide how many calories should be in each serving.

Greek Yogurt Muesli Bars Dense may be an understatement for these bars! Whole grains, seeds, nuts, and dried fruits combine with healthy coconut oil, plain yogurt, nut butter, and honey to make a bar full of natural flavors. The oatmeal base suggests that these bars would make a perfectly respectable breakfast any day of the week. Firm, yet crumbly in texture, the bars each contain over 10 grams of protein, 20 g carbohydrates, and 11.5 g of healthy fats, a well-rounded balance of essential elements made from healthy food components.

Reprinted with permission from Power Hungry, The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook by Camilla V. Saulsbury. Copyright 2013. Published by Lake Isle Press, New York, NY. All rights reserved. 
Tips for Successful Bars:
Tip #1 – Toast the grains, nuts, seeds, and coconut before mixing with the liquid ingredients. Toasting brings out some terrific flavors in these ingredients that contribute mightly to the overall result – don’t skip this step!

Tip #2 – Drizzle the bars with a mix of melted white chocolate combined with a little yogurt and coconut oil. The little extra sweetness and visual effect makes them irresistible.

Tip #3 – Experiment with different seeds, nuts, or fruits to create different flavors. Variety is the spice of life, after all!

Salty-Sweet Trail Bars Chewy, dense and nutty, these bars pack over 10g of protein and a balance of healthy fats and carbohydrates. The saltiness comes from the sunflower and pumpkin seeds; the sweetness stems from your choice of honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup. They’re a great introduction to making your own power bars. Made with familiar ingredients, they require no baking. Simply mix the dry ingredients, with liquid ingredients that have been warmed, pat in a pan, and allow to cool. How easy is that?

Reprinted with permission from Power Hungry, The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook by Camilla V. Saulsbury. Copyright 2013. Published by Lake Isle Press, New York, NY. All rights reserved. 
Tips for Successful Bars:
Tip #1 – Discover chia seeds! A crunchy component in this bar, the tiny seeds are a super-dense food rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, and antioxidants. Sprinkle them generously throughout your diet including one of our favorites, chia pudding.

Tip #2 – Dip or drizzle the bars with melted dark chocolate combined with a little coconut oil. The little extra sweetness and visual effect makes them irresistible. Dark chocolate hardens the best. As well, sometimes we skip the coconut oil when a harder shell is needed.

Tip #3 – Change the shape and size. Because they are a no-bake bar, the mixture is amenable to different pans for molding different shapes. Try muffin tins for round puck shapes, or simple cookie cutters for some personalization. 

Baking Pans 101

Whether you’re making power bars, brownies, cakes, or casseroles, the baking pan you choose will make all the difference in the final result. 

Size Matters – For best results, always use the pan size called for in the recipe. The oven temperature, baking time, and pan size have all been calibrated with each other to return excellent results.

Example: A 8” x 8” square pan and a 9” x 9” square pan don’t seem that different, but in volume, the latter is 26% larger (128 cubic inches vs. 162 cubic inches). This is a significant difference in the baking world.

Pro Tip: If you have to substitute a differently-sized pan, adjust the baking time. If the pan is larger, reduce the baking time and increase the temperature; if smaller, increase baking time and reduce the temperature. This may help, but the best outcomes will occur by using correctly-sized pans.

Materials Matters – Baking pans may be made of metal, glass or stoneware. Metal pans are typically made of aluminum because of its excellent heat-conductive character. Many contemporary baking pans feature a nonstick baking surface. Glass or stoneware baking dishes conduct heat less efficiently, but more evenly. 

For metal baking pans, choose quality, heavy gauge versions. Thin metal pans tend to burn on the outside, and may even warp and bend when heated.

Pro Tip: When baking in glass pans, reduce the oven temperature by 25°F.

Pro Tip: Dark and/or dull metal baking pans absorb more heat than lightly colored pans and cook foods more quickly.

Pro Tip: Whatever the baking surface (metal, nonstick, or glazed) we recommend preparing pans for baking as directed in the recipe – greasing, greasing and flouring, or lining with parchment. 

Pro Tip: Preheat the oven as instructed. For baked goods, do not add the filled pan until the oven is preheated. Many modern ovens blast heat when in preheating mode, then reduce to maintain. That initial heat blast during the preheat phase can produce unreliable results.

Pro Tip: Don’t open the oven door, especially in the early stages of baking. A brief opening to test for doneness can plunge the temperature by 150°F. In the early stages of baking, the structure is being formed and baked into place; a swing in temperature impedes good texture formation.

Common Baking Pan Sizes:

A sheet pan is usually rectangular in shape with sides less than an inch in height:

Full Sheet Pan 26” x 18” x 1”
Half Sheet Pan 18” x 13” x 1”
Quarter Sheet Pan 13” x 9” x 1”

Baking pans may be rectangular, square, round or loaf shape:

Baking Pan 9” x 13” x 2” Square Pan 9” x 9” x 2”
Square Pan 8” x 8” x 2” Round Cake Pan 9” diameter x 2”
Round Cake Pan 8” diameter x 2”
Large Loaf Pan 9” x 5” x 3”
Small Loaf Pan 8” x 4” x 2.5”

For Making Homemade Power Bars:

USA PAN’S SQUARE 8”x8” BAKING PAN
An essential pan for baking bars and brownies. Match the pan to the recipe for best results!

USA PAN’S SQUARE 9”x9” BAKING PAN
The other square pan that you definitely need! Great for power bars, brownies, and other baked goods.

USA PAN’S RECTANGLE 9”x 13”x 2” BAKING PAN
One more essential pan that every kitchen must have! Perfect for many baking needs. Nonstick surface for easy clean-up.

CHIC WRAP
Once you try this plastic wrap, you won’t use anything else. A cinch to dispense, seals well, easy to use!

PARCHMENT PAPER
We use parchment paper nearly every day in our kitchen. Add a nonstick surface to every baking pan.

BROWNIE SPATULA
Ingenious! A perfectly petite-sized spatula for lifting brownies and small bars from the pan. Our favorite little tool this week!

CUISINART FOOD PROCESSOR
Add some power to your baking! Nothing makes a smooth batter like a food processor!

Black Bean High Protein Brownies
 We’ve heard of black bean brownies, but have never tried them before making this recipe. What starts out as an oxymoron (beans and brownies) is actually a very tasty way for getting a chocolate fix in a healthy way. The thick batter bakes into a cake-like brownie texture. Eggs, whey powder, and the beans combine for a protein-packed bar sporting nearly 10g of protein power. Like most brownies, beware of overbaking; we found the recipe’s timing at the lower end was spot on in our recipe testing.

Reprinted with permission from Power Hungry, The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook by Camilla V. Saulsbury. Copyright 2013. Published by Lake Isle Press, New York, NY. All rights reserved. 
Tips for Successful Bars:
Tip #1 – Process the beans well by making the batter in a food processor; this results in a very smooth batter and the best baked texture and consistency. 

Tip #2 – Cut the brownie bars in half for an easy 80-calorie treat. Or, dip in melted chocolate for a presentaion similar to a petit four.

Tip #3 – Try some of the variations recommended in this recipe: Mocha Almond, Chocolate Cherry, or even the Vegan version. We’re sure they’re just as delicious!

COOKBOOK REVIEW:

Power Hungry, The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook by Camilla V. Saulsbury. Copyright 2013. Published by Lake Isle Press, New York, NY.  
We’ve been keeping this cookbook a secret for awhile – but now’s a good time to confess how much we’ve enjoyed trying different recipes while eating healthy, nutrition-packed bars. The author presents over 150 variations of power bars that are soy-free, easily adapted to gluten-free, and made with easily found natural ingredients. We’re always intrigued with “copycat” recipes, and this book is full of “recipe “remakes” of every popular energy bar out there. Choose from energy bars, endurance bars, protein-packed bars, and even some raw variations. Staying well-fed while on the go just got a whole lot tastier and cheaper!