This is another energy bar recipe I developed, which is high in protein and full of flavor and texture. The dominant flavor here is definitely peanut butter, but a different type of nut butter could be used if preferred. Likewise, ingredient substitutions could be made - such as chocolate chips for the raisins and chopped nuts for the sunflower seeds.
Peanut Butter Energy Bars
2 cups granola or multigrain cereal mix
2 cups old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup ground flaxseed
1 cup raisins
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup pitted dates
water, to cover
1 1/3 cups smooth natural peanut butter
1/3 cup smooth almond butter
2/3 cup honey
Place the granola, oats, flax, raisins, seeds, and spices in a large bowl and mix well.
In a large saucepan, bring the dates with just enough water to cover them to a boil. Boil for a few minutes until dates soften, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the peanut butter, almond butter, and honey and heat until melted and smooth.
Pour this mixture over the dry mixture in the bowl and stir to coat. Press this mixture into a parchment-lined 9x13-inch rectangular pan. I find it easier to use your hands to mix and press this mixture. Refrigerate for several hours until firm, then cut into bars.
Seedy Yogurt Muffins
1 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk (any kind)
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2-4 Tablespoons molasses or honey
Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl, mix together the first ten dry ingredients.
In a separate medium bowl, mix together the remaining liquid ingredients.
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and stir until just moistened.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
Bake for about 20 minutes until golden.
Makes 12-18 (depending on size) healthy, hearty muffins with lots of great crunch and flavor. Perfect for part of a balanced breakfast slathered with nut butter, jam, or molasses!
This is a bread machine recipe that I made a very similar version to in the traditional way once upon a time. It has a nice texture and flavor due to the added seeds and a nice crispy crust. I decided to try making a small loaf this time, but I discovered I would much prefer the large loaf setting. It is the same amount of work, but makes a larger loaf that rises better, forms better sandwiches, and lasts longer.
Machine Country Seed Bread
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 teaspoons honey
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
4 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons sunflower seeds
1 1/4 teaspoons yeast
Place all ingredients in bread machine pan in order given, or according to manufacturer's instructions for whole wheat cycle, small loaf.
I always like to have some type of bread, muffin, or biscuit on hand. This time, I decided to try a little something different. I made a healthy snacking cake, then cut it into squares to have on hand in the freezer. This snack cake is soft and moist, yet contains several whole grains. It has a mild pumpkin and spice purée. The seeds are optional, and nuts or raisins would be a nice substitute. This cake is lower in fat and sugar, so modify amounts to suit your personal tastes. I use this more of a bread spread with a topping than a cake.
Pumpkin Grain Breakfast Cake
scant 1 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup applesauce
2/3 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup each: ground flaxseed, wheat germ, wheat bran, oat bran
1/2 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk (I used almond)
2 cups whole wheat flour
Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the first five wet ingredients together. Stir in all of the dry ingredients except the flour. Stir in half of the milk. Stir in 1 cup of flour, the remaining 1/2 cup milk, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for about 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
This is one of the protein bar trials I have completed. I would classify this one as a "healthier" tasting version - all of my trials are healthy and high protein, but these certainly have a healthy appearance and taste. Some people go for that and prefer that, I being one of them. However, if you are trying to "fool" your consumers, this recipe won't do. This is an extremely good bar for active, on the go consumers, as the bars are sturdy, easy to eat, and hold up well. They can be kept on the counter, refrigerated, or frozen. They are chewy and provide a great quick of energy in a small amount. And they are tasty - natural sweetener, applesauce, and dates add flavor, where coconut, seeds, and oats add texture. Feel free to add more dates if you wish!
High Protein Bar Cookies
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg or flax egg replacement for vegans (1 Tablespoon flax mixed with 1 Tablespoon water) I used flax
1/3 cup applesauce
1/4 cup molasses or maple syrup
3 Tablespoons flax oil
2 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
handful large dates, chopped
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8 inch square pan with oil.
In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.
In a separate small bowl, mix all the wet ingredients
Add to dry ingredients, mix well. Fold in dates. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for about 25 minutes. Great warm or chilled. Cut into squares and package individually for convenience, freeze for prolonged storage.
Quick Seedy Bread
2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup oil
Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, stir together the first eight dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add the milk, egg, and oil. Stir well and spread in prepared pan. Bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
This is a hearty, healthy loaf with lots of texture. The seeds could easily be varied - poppy seeds or pumpkin seeds would be nice, or even ground nuts such as almonds could be substituted. I guess it is more of a loaf than a sandwich bread, so it is delicious spread with butter, honey, jam, or peanut butter. But it could be used as a sandwich base as well, especially if the sugar content is reduced.
Mix It Up Batter Bread
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 teaspoon granulated (white) sugar
2 packages instant yeast
1 cup warm milk
1 large egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons molasses
2 Tablespoons oil or butter
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup natural wheat bran
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, divided
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in the water. Sprinkle the yeast over top and let stand for ten minutes until bubbly. Stir to dissolve yeast.
Stir in remaining ingredients except for the flour and seeds. Stir in two cups of flour, then the seeds. Add another cup of flour.
Allow dough to rise for an hour.
Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour. Divide batter between two greased or lined 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for another hour.
Bake at 375◦F for about 30 minutes.
I call this mix it up batter bread, because it really is that simple, no kneading in this simple homemade bread recipe! Also because it contains a nice mix of healthy grains.
Sunny Honey Flax Bread
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons liquid honey
1 package instant yeast
2 Tablespoons oil
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, plus extra for kneading
1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, stir together the water and the honey. Sprinkle the yeast over top and let stand for ten minutes, until foamy. Stir to dissolve. Stir in the oil.
Stir together the remaining dry ingredients and gradually stir into yeast mixture. Knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth, adding extra flour if needed. Allow to rise one hour.
Punch dough down and transfer to a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Allow to rise for another hour.
Bake at 350◦F for 35-40 minutes.
I decided to try an old-fashioned bread recipe again. The kind that needs kneading and rising, not just a quick or batter bread. This one is 100% whole wheat and has a nice texture from flax and sunflower seeds. This bread rose nicely and is not too difficult or time-consuming. It makes nice sandwich bread, and the recipe could probably be doubled.
This is my first time baking in over five weeks! Naturally, I began with something simple, but something I love, a quick bread chock-full of delicious whole grains. I hadn't eaten homemade bread for five weeks. The only bread I ate was whole wheat toast every morning for breakfast. Before my trip, I cannot remember the last time I had eaten toast. I am not a toast fan, I prefer my homemade biscuits and quick breads for breakfast. The only time I had whole grain bread here was my brunch at the restaurant, and that was delicious - Mon Brunch So I really missed my whole grain breads!
Nutty Seed Quick Bread
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup ground nuts (I used almonds)
1/8 cup each: natural wheat bran, oat bran, ground flaxseed, wheat germ, sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 olive oil
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 large egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Mix the liquid ingredients together and add, stir thoroughly. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for approximately 40 minutes.
I have always wanted to try making my own nut butters, especially peanut butter and Nutella. I find that natural peanut butter often gets too hard in the fridge, and making smaller quantities of homemade would probably be more viable. Also, homemade versions of Nutella are much healthier, as the amount of sugar can be controlled. However, the first nut butter I tried making with my new food processor was actually sunflower seed butter. Because sunflower seeds are not as oily as nuts, it does require the addition of a little bit of oil, but I used heart-healthy olive oil, and I didn't add any salt or sugar. The process is quite easy, and you may make as much or as little as you like. Just toss the seeds in the food processor, and pulse on and off, allowing the seeds to release their natural oils. After a few minutes once the seeds begin to clump together, add in the oil and continue to process until completely smooth. Then store in the fridge for a few weeks or so. This doesn't become hard and the it does not separate as in some nut butters. It is great as a spread on bread or toast, or as a dip for vegetables.
