Recipe: Power Bars

I've got a slight problem. Now that I'm cooking full time in the cafè I'm losing weight. Not much, mind you, but enough that I'm aware of it and wanting to stop it. I'm already on the thin side of the movie alien look, and don't want to get any worse. Seems odd with all of the over weight chefs out there, but I'm constantly running and tasting, and those tastings kill my appetite. So, over at eGullet I presented the problem and came up with the fact that I need an energy bar that's not full of crap, but is good enough that I can scarf a whole pan in one sitting if I want to. eG member, Marmish sent me to the Food & Wine website for their Cranberry-Walnut Power Bars recipe, which I quickly modified.


1 1/4 C Walnut halves
1/2 C Wild rice
1 1/4 C Oats
1 C Yellow raisins
3 T Crystallized ginger, chopped
1/2 C. Liquor chestnuts, chopped
1 C Great maple syrup
1/4 C Palm sugar
1/2 t Salt
1 t Vanilla

Microwave your walnuts (or any other nut) in 60 second bursts until they start to brown and smell toasted.

Next, heat an inch of canola or peanut oil in a sauce pan and get frying hot. Pour your rice into the oil and it should puff immediately. Good ingredients are key here! Get good wild rice. I use Singing Pines hand harvested wild rice. As soon as the popping slows, remove puffed rice with slotted spoon to paper towel to drain.

In large bowl, combine nuts, rice, oats, raisins, ginger, chestnuts and anything else that might be yummy like chocolate chips. In a small saucepan, combine the syrup, sugar (I use palm sugar because I like it but if you must feel free to use white, brown, muscovado or whatever) and salt and bring to a boil. Boil until blurping bubbles form - soft ball stage. Immediately pour in the vanilla and then pour the whole mixture over the dry ingredients. Toss to coat very well and spread in a 8x11 pan lined with parchment. Press enough to make it hold together but not so much that you smoosh the texture away. Let cool, then cut and scarf!