Pepita Protein Energy Bars Recipes

SEED BARS

Steps:

• preheat oven to 325F (300 F if electric oven)
• Mix the seeds and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir in vanilla and warm honey, until uniformly combined.
• Place a piece of parchment in an 8 x 8 baking pan ( all the way up the sides too) . Spray lightly with oil.
• Pour seed mix into lightly greased, parchment-lined pan and using a wet metal spatula, spread it out, into corners and edges and press down firmly until you have a compacted, smooth surface at a uniform depth.
• Place on the middle rack in the oven for 40-55 minutes. Check at 25 minutes adjusting heat down to 300F, if edges seem too brown. For a chewy consistency, take out at 40-45 minutes, for a crispier crunchy consistency, let it cook the full 50 -55 minutes. Keep in mind, all ovens are different, so heat may vary. The key is....You want to take them out when they are perfectly golden, before they get too dark. So keep a close eye on them after 40 minutes. If you take them out too early (before they are golden) they may be too chewy and sticky. Pay attention to the color.
• For example, I've cooked these in two different ovens. In the gas oven, 50-55 minutes delivered perfectly golden bars. In the electric oven, 40 minutes were enough for perfectly golden. 55 minutes would have totally burnt them.
• Remove from oven, and cool completely. You could place in the fridge to cool faster. When it's completely cooled, take the parchment out of the pan, turn it over and remove parchment. Flip back over and cut into desired shapes or bars. Store at room temp.

ALMOND CHERRY PEPITA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom with a piece of parchment or waxed paper leaving a 4-inch overhang on two opposite sides and spray the paper with cooking spray.
• Put 1 cup of the rice cereal in a resealable plastic bag and crush to a fine powder with the back of the measuring cup. Combine the remaining 1 cup rice cereal, pepitas, almonds and cherries in a large bowl. Heat the rice syrup and almond butter in a small saucepan until warm and bubbling and remove from heat. Stir in the almond extract and salt, and pour into the nut mixture. Fold with a spatula until it is everything is moistened and well combined. Add the crushed rice cereal and continue to fold until evenly incorporated.
• Press the mixture very firmly and evenly into the prepared pan using the overhanging pieces of parchment to prevent sticking. Bake until beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack, then press again to compact the mixture. Chill until firm but not completely set , about 45 minutes. Remove the block by the paper handles and invert onto a cutting board. Gently peel off the paper. Cut the block in half, then cut each half into 6 bars for 12 total. Refrigerate until fully set.
• Store the bars individually wrapped or layered between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The bars will soften up and become chewy as they come to room temperature.

PEPITA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Thoroughly butter a 9 x 13inch baking pan with 2inch sides and line the base with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, oats, flour, baking powder, and salt. Toss together with your hands, then add the melted butter and continue working with your hands until the mixture is crumbly. Pat the crust mixture evenly over the base of the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, coconut, almonds, pepitas, and sesame seeds, and set aside. In a medium heavy saucepan, combine the honey, brown sugar, and butter. Over medium heat, stir together until the butter is melted. Pour the butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until evenly combined. Spread this topping over the crust base and return to a 275 degrees oven for about 20 minutes, or until the center is lightly browned and puffy.
• Cool completely. Cut across the pan lengthwise to separate into 2 long, thin sections, then cut each one into 5 equal bars, approximately 5 x 2 inches. Trim the edges to make them even.
• In the top of a double boiler, combine the chocolate and the clarified butter. Over gently simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring. Dip the tops of the bars into the melted chocolate mixture and immediately sprinkle with one or more of the following: flaked coconut, pepitas, sesame seeds, and toasted almonds. Allow the chocolate topping to harden before serving.

FRUIT AND SEED BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• In a food processor, pulse the first 6 ingredients until finely chopped (it's ok if there are few coarsely chopped pieces).
• Add the honey and sunflower and pulse until starting to combine.
• Pour the mixture into a 9 x 9 inch pan, greased then line with parchment and press down into the pan until completely even.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• Let the bars completely cool before cutting with a serrated knife into bars.
• Serve.

PEPITA PROTEIN ENERGY BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Crush or break almonds into big chunks.
• Mix all dry ingredients together. Spread out onto a baking tray and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes.
• Chop the cranberries and stir them inches.
• Place the dry ingredients into a large bowl and pour in molasses and honey over.
• Mix through until well combined then spread into a line baking dish, pressing down firmly.
• Bake for about 20-25mins or until golden brown.
• Allow to cool then cut into squares.
• Store in the fridge.