One Click: Energy Bars and Power Bars

COVID-19 is upon us. No jokes, folks. It’s serious. Home-cooking and baking is helping Ron and me get through it. So are mild indoor activities such as reading, computer games, and catching up with family and friends via email, Zoom, social media, and the occasional phone call. 

As social creatures, it’s difficult to practice social isolation. It’s difficult to wear a mask when we make essential visits such as going to the pharmacy or grocery store.

COVID-19 is not a “hoax,” as irresponsible and irrational people have claimed. It’s life-threatening. It’s difficult to keep our spirits up. But we must - and will.

As Summer slowly winds down to Fall, allow yourself a little treat. If you have the groceries to make one or two of these energy bars and power bars, do. They’ll lift your spirits to help you face another day. We’re all in this, together.

They’re Indexed under Candy and Confections, but, as a specialty item, they’re also Indexed as Energy Bars and Power Bars: One Click. These bars are a fast and easy way to boost your serotonin levels. The listing includes:

• Peanut Butter Energy Bars

• No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

• Oatmeal Sesame Bars

• Butterscotch Oat Squares

• High-Energy Toffee Roll-Ups

• No-Bake Peanut Butter-Chocolate Bars

• Colon Rockets

And yes ... Those really are the No-Bake Peanut Butter-Chocolate Bars that taste exactly like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! 

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe is is very similar to one I blogged in May, 2015. This recipe makes a smaller amount, and I also find the method for this one easier 

than the method for the other.

In summary, all I can say is “Yum!” And “Yum!” again.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars:

To Prepare the Base:

3 tbsp. (15 mL) butter or margarine 

1 c. (250 mL) peanut butter

Dash of salt (optional)

½ c. (125 mL) graham cracker crumbs or shredded coconut

Approx. 1 c. (250 mL) icing sugar (confectioners sugar), to taste 

Pour into 8x8-in. (20x20 cm) parchment-lined pan. Refrigerate 1 hr., or until mixture is very hard.

To medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter or margarine until bubbly and slightly browned, but not burnt. Turn off stove heat. Immediately add peanut butter, stirring in hot fat until melted.  If peanut butter is unsalted, add dash salt.

Stir in graham cracker crumbs or shredded coconut or mixture of both to equal 1/2 c. (125 mL). Add icing sugar, to taste. Pour mixture into 8x8-in. (20x20 cm) parchment-lined pan. Refrigerate until set and very hard.

To Prepare the Mirror Glaze Topping:

6 oz. (1 c. or 250 mL) good-to-excellent quality semi-sweet chocolate,  chopped

1-½ tsp. (7 mL) coconut oil or butter

1/4 c. (60 mL) good-to-excellent quality chocolate shot (optional)

Melt chocolate and oil over low heat on stove, stirring continuously. When all chocolate is evenly melted and still warm, pour over peanut butter base, titling pan so chocolate is evenly dispersed into every corner. Cool 2 min. Using a slotted spoon, cover evenly with shot. Or not! The chocolate mirror glaze is beautiful on its own.

Chill at least 1 hr. Remove from refrigerator, slicing into very small bars while cold. Serve chilled … As this nears room temperature, it will melt very quickly!

With thanks to © Melissa Clark and The New York Times

(I’ve modified this recipe and made minor style changes - NP)

Note: To find more high-energy bars, check out One Click: Energy Bars and Power Bars.

Oatmeal Sesame Bars

This easy recipe is a variation of yesterday’s Butterscotch Oat Squares - but with the addition of sesame seeds. This makes a huge amount - and a wonderful snack! It freezes well for lunch box totes or backpack hikes.

(That’s my chirpy little “blogger” voice talking. The truth is, I don’t have a moment to make these #@! things (see Guilt-Ridden Note). We’re readying the garden for Spring - if it ever comes! With no photos of today’s recipe, here’s the view from our doorstep ... Does this this look like the onset of Spring to you??? Florida, it ain’t.)

News Item: Avalanche swallows hapless Blogger

Oatmeal Sesame Bars:

3/4 c. (180 mL) butter or margarine

1-1/2 c. (375 mL) lightly packed brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp. (7.5 mL) vanilla
2-1/4 c. (560 mL) large-flake (not instant) oats

3/4 c. (180 mL) sesame seeds

3/4 tsp. (4 mL) baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Line a 15 x 10 in. (38 x 25 cm) baking sheet with parchment. In large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter or margarine. Stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Cook 2-to-3 min. on medium heat, allowing mixture to bubble. In a large bowl, combine oats, sesame seeds, and baking powder. Add to saucepan all at once, blending thoroughly. 

Working quickly, spoon into spray-greased pan, pressing flat and even with large spatula. Bake 7-to-10 min., or until golden. Cool on wire rack. Score lightly before bars harden completely. Cut into 2 x 1 in. (6 x 2.5 cm) bars. Or larger. Yields 3-to-4 doz. of the larger ones.

Guilt-Ridden Note: How could I not bake these and not take a few photos? So I did - better late than never.

Melt butter.

Let butter, brown sugar, and vanilla bubble 2-to-3 min.

Add sesame seeds.

A And rolled oats and baking powder.

Combine well, spooning still-warm mixture onto baking sheet.

Flatten with large plastic or metal spatula.

Ron couldn’t wait!

Note: To find more high-energy bars, check out One Click: Energy Bars and Power Bars.

Butterscotch Oat Squares

This, believe it or not, is the very first cookie I ever baked! I love it so much that I still prepare it now and then. Not only is it delicious and foolproof, but it holds strong memories of my introduction to baking. 

Butterscotch Oat Squares:

2 c. (500 mL) large-flake rolled oats (not instant)

1 tsp. (5 mL) baking powder

1/8 tsp. (0.5 mL) salt

1 c. (250 mL) brown sugar

1/2 c. (125 mL) margarine, melted

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 deg. F. Combine rolled oats, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar. Mix well. Add margarine and vanilla and blend until dry ingredients are completely moistened. Pack into ungreased 8-in. (2 L) square pan. Bake 25 min., or until golden brown. Let stand 5 min. on wire rack before cutting into 2-in. (5 cm) squares. Makes 16 (15 after you sneak the first one!). 

Note: To find more high-energy bars, check out One Click: Energy Bars and Power Bars.

High-Energy Toffee Roll-Ups

I’ve just made this nutritious, energy-rich treat for kids young and old. Because the recipe’s three main ingredients are measured in equal portions, the quantity of these treats can easily be reduced or increased.

Carol Brauner

Carol Brauner, my friend of more than 40 years, shared this recipe with me. Says Carol: “Kids love it, and so do I!”

High-Energy Toffee Roll-Ups:

1/2 c. (125 mL) creamy peanut butter  

1/2 c. (125 mL) instant skim milk powder

1/2 c. (125 mL) liquid honey 

1/4-to-1/3 c. (60-to-80 mL) melted dark chocolate
1/4 c. (60 mL) toasted, chopped pecans

Blend peanut butter, skim milk powder, and honey in food processor (see Note) to make creamy “toffee.” Divide into two or three equal portions. Place a damp, clean cloth on clean workspace. Lay one sheet of wax paper over cloth. On that sheet, place one portion of blended toffee with second sheet of wax paper on top. Using a heavy rolling pin, shape each portion between the wax paper sheets into a rectangle with a 1/8-in. thickness.

Stack and freeze rolled toffee rectangles between their wax paper sheets about 10 min. or until stiff. Freeze up to three months. 

Toast pecans, cooling and chopping while chocolate melts; keep chocolate warm.

When ready to use, work with one rectangle at a time, keeping the rest in the freezer. Peel away top sheet of wax paper. Using a flexible silicone spatula, apply a thin layer of warm, melted chocolate over flattened toffee.

Working quickly, sprinkle toasted, chopped pecans over still-warm chocolate. Carefully roll long end of rectangle jellyroll-style, using bottom sheet of wax paper to assist rolling before chocolate sets. Freeze 10 min. before wrapping each roll in cello or wax paper. Return to freezer.

Store wrapped rolls in solid-sided plastic container. When ready to use, slice as many rolls as needed into 1/2-in. pieces, trimming away irregular edges. Serve and consume chilled so roll holds its shape ... Toffee softens almost immediately.

Note: A high-speed mini-chopper does an excellent job of mixing this small batch of toffee. Hand-stirring doesn’t produce the desired silky “toffee” texture. 

Process first three ingredients at high speed until texture is silky.

Roll divided dough thinly between wax paper sheets. Freeze.

Lightly sprinkle nuts over warm, melted chocolate.

Using wax paper to assist, start rolling.

Job is easiest before rolled rectangles get too warm.

Wrap and freeze. Unwrap and slice as needed. 

This produces a huge number of rolls!

Unfortunately, they don’t seem to last very long!

Note: To find more high-energy bars, check out One Click: Energy Bars and Power Bars.

Peanut Butter Energy Bars

When I made these high-energy bars for a group of volunteers last night, never did I dream they would become a “favorite”!

Peanut Butter Energy Bars: A big hit!

Packed with nutrition, these bars refrigerate and freeze well. With the ingredients already in my kitchen cupboard, I didn’t consider this expensive to make. Logical? Maybe. With energy bars selling for as much as $3 apiece, these homemade bars are a bargain! To make a gourmet bar, substitute macadamia nuts and white chocolate in place of the almonds and semi-sweet chocolate I used. This excellent recipe requires a food processor. 

Peanut Butter Energy Bars:

2 c. (500 mL) packed dates, pitted (see Note)

1/2 c. (125 mL) natural whole almonds, skin on

3 c. (750 mL) large-flake uncooked rolled oats

1/2 c. (125 mL) liquid honey

1/2 c. (125 mL) creamy peanut butter

1/2 c. (125 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.  Line 10x15 in. (25x38 cm)jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Soften dates by pour boiling water over them for 10 min. Squeeze dry. Process dates on high speed until they form a ball and only small bits remain. Place in medium bowl. Do not wash food processor.

Spread almonds over cookie sheet, stirring once or twice as nuts toast 15-to-20 min. (see Additional Note). Add almonds to processor, chopping in bursts using pulse setting. Add to dates in bowl.

Spread oats over cookie sheet, stirring once or twice as oats toast 15-to-20 min. Add oats to dates and nuts in bowl. Combine thoroughly, using clean hands. Set aside. 

In microwave-safe container, stir together honey, peanut butter, and chocolate chips on medium-low heat, just until warm. Pour over date-nut-oatmeal mixture, combining well.

Press well-combined mixture into prepared pan, covering with cello wrap and rolling or pressing to even thickness. Cover with foil and chill 15-to-30 minutes before slicing into bars. These are high-calorie and sweet, so I cut these bars small. Yields 4-to-5 dozen 1 x 3 in. (2.54 x 8 cm) bars. 

Note: Substituting dried apricots for the dates in this recipe would also work well.

Additional Note: Lightly toasting the almonds and oats produces a far superior flavor than adding them to this recipe untoasted.

Note: To find more high-energy bars, check out One Click: Energy Bars and Power Bars.

No-Bake Peanut Butter-Chocolate Bars

These five-star cookies taste exactly like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups - if not better! I’ve slightly modified the original recipe (from Cruising Cuisine, Kay Pastorius, 1997).

No-Bake Peanut Butter-Chocolate Bars:

1 c. (250 mL) graham cracker crumbs
2-1/2 c. (625 mL) icing sugar
1/2 c. (125 mL) melted butter or margarine
1 tsp. (5 mL) vanilla extract
2 c. (500 mL) creamy peanut butter (do not use “natural”)
2 c. (500 mL) chocolate chips, melted

To a large bowl, add graham crumbs, icing sugar, butter or margarine, vanilla, and peanut butter, combining well with clean hands or gloves. 

What foods these morsels be! Delectable - and easy.

Press evenly into ungreased 9 x 13-in. (23 x 33 cm) baking  pan. Place in refrigerator, uncovered, 10-to-15 min. to harden. 

Pour melted chocolate over top, swirling evenly and gently, ensuring chocolate touches edges of pan. Chocolate will be thin, but sufficient. Refrigerate, uncovered, about 15 min. or until chocolate is firm (but not fully hardened) before slicing into bars. Return to fridge, chilling until chocolate hardens completely. Makes 32.

Finger Lickin’ Note: Because this is such an incredibly delicious bar cookie, the recipe yields just one serving!

Another Finger Lickin’ Note: Note: To find more high-energy bars, check out One Click: Energy Bars and Power Bars.