- 3 c. ground or finely chopped crispy almonds (I had some bigger pieces in there and it was fine) – crispy nuts are something I always keep on hand in the freezer. When I get low, I soak more that night. They’re great to toss into recipes, or give the kids for a quick snack. Soaking and drying them is easy and increases the nutrients in the nuts significantly!
- 3 c. chopped crispy pecans (You can actually use any type of crispy nuts you like, they all taste good in this recipe!)
- 1 c. dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, etc.)
- 1/2 c. organic (no GMO) chocolate chips – the mini size if you can find them
- 3/4 c. real maple syrup
- 2 T. organic molasses (more on this and the other natural sweeteners below)
- 2 T. raw local honey
Mix everything together and spread onto a cookie sheet greased with either coconut oil or butter.
Bake at 275* for 40 minutes. (A little longer if you want it crunchier.) Let cool so they can crisp up, then cut into serving size pieces and store in the freezer if you’re making a lot to keep on hand. The amounts here are actually a double batch, but it fit perfectly on my cookie sheet. Next time I’ll make two cookie sheets of it so I can freeze some for school lunches. (NOTE: I just made these again before posting and this time I didn’t chop my pecans as small so it made a thicker batch on one cookie sheet. They came out more chewy and less crunchy, so if that’s the case with your batch, you may want to spread it out over a couple cookie sheets.)
Good luck staying out of these.
Now go add your post or comment to the no-GMO blog carnival!
- All about sweeteners in order from best to worst.
- More info on these natural sweeteners:
- Blackstrap Molasses is approximately 65 percent as sweet as sugar and can be used in both cooking and baking. Blackstrap molasses is an excellent source of manganese and copper, and also contains iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin B6.
- Maple syrup is most widely known as a topping for pancakes and waffles, but it’s also a natural sweetener that can be used in baking and is a good source of magnesium and zinc. Maple syrup is about 60 percent as sweet as sugar. Maple syrup can cause blood sugar levels to rise, so those with diabetes should use it sparingly.
- Raw Honey is a natural sweetener that has powerful disease-protecting antioxidants that are thought to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Honey is 25 to 50 percent sweeter than sugar and can be used in cooking, baking, and beverages. As with maple syrup, honey can cause a spike in blood sugar levels and should be used sparingly by those with diabetes. (Note: Do not give honey to children under one year of age as it may put younger children at risk for botulism.)
This post is part of Naturally Knocked Up, Tasty Tuesday! Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table,
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{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Jen 05.18.09 at 3:14 am
These look yummy! I’ve been searching for a good “breakfast bar” type recipe to send with my hubby to work for his breakfast. These will go nicely with pastured, hard boiled eggs and fresh fruit. Thanks!
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Anthony 05.18.09 at 3:34 am
Maple syrup and honey aren’t significantly healthier than white sugar. There’s no hard evidence to conclude that your body doesn’t panic and shoot out just as much insulin as it does with white sugar, and it all comes down to insulin (google “Syndrome X”). As much as I like to believe that “natural” is healthier, there’s nothing natural about that many carbohydrates at once in the form of boiled down tree sap. Try non GMO xylitol or erythritol (erythritol is easier to digest) for truly “healthy” sweeteners. Sugar in all forms suppresses the immune system. Eating a lot of fat is very healthy IF you don’t combine it with carbohydrates. That means, for example, cookies made with sprouted flour, raw sugar, AND butter make for a lethal combination. The carbs in the grains and sugar shoot out the insulin, and the fat is shuttled into our cells since insulin is the “fat storage hormone.” I love your blog, but this hype about “natural” sweeteners is something we’ll have to agree to disagree on.
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Kelly 05.18.09 at 9:59 am
Hi Anthony,
Actually we don’t disagree all that much. I normally make it clear in my “sweets” recipes that natural sugars are only a *little* better for us (because they still have some nutrients intact) than refined sugar, I just failed to say that again in this post and really shouldn’t have called these “healthy” due to the sugar! Thanks for the correction.
I’ll go back and make some adjustments to this post. (I forget that new readers are popping on all the time and may not have seen my previous disclaimers.)
Regarding this comment: “cookies made with sprouted flour, raw sugar, AND butter make for a lethal combination. The carbs in the grains and sugar shoot out the insulin, and the fat is shuttled into our cells since insulin is the “fat storage hormone.” I know that carbs in general aren’t good, and that desserts with just fats and sweets are a better choice than those with carbs, but I’d never heard it put quite this way. I’d love to hear other’s comments on this as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is dead-on, though – and dang, I’ve got to get back on the low-carb thing! (I go in streaks.) However, I do think that a cookie with sprouted whole wheat flour, raw sugar and butter is still a huge improvement from, say, a store-bought cookie full of refined white flour, refined sugar/HFSC, oleo/trans fats, etc.
I do disagree with you on the xylitol/eyrithritol suggestions and would still choose small amounts of real sweeteners instead. Here’s the post I wrote on that: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/04/xylitol-safety-other-sugar-alcohols.html
Thanks for your comments!
Kelly
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CHEESESLAVE 05.18.09 at 10:37 am
Yum! Looks very tasty! The only thing I would want to add to this is some coconut oil.
I agree about natural sweeteners vs. xylitol and these other modern new-fangled sweeteners. People have been eating honey for 10,000 years.
I think the key is moderation. If you cut out all HFCS and refined sugar out of your diet, it’s OK to eat a sweet treat made with honey or maple syrup or an unrefined sugar now and again.
That said, I might also reduce the amount of maple syrup in this recipe. I have found that my taste buds have changed and I now prefer things less sweet. Too much sweetness overpowers the food and all you can taste is sugar.
CHEESESLAVE’s last blog post..Opening Day for Cherries
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Kristen 05.18.09 at 2:06 pm
oh so yummy. I needed a recipe to kick me in the butt. I know I should make more of this kind of stuff instead of buying the expensive “good/organic” ones. My kids always need something for after school that is not rubbish.
Kristen’s last blog post..crispy pea crisps
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John La Puma, M.D. 05.18.09 at 5:36 pm
The recipes look great.
What is the evidence for soaking/drying “…increases the nutrients in the nuts significantly”?
Thx
John La Puma, MD
http://www.drjohnlapuma.com
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FoodRenegade 05.18.09 at 7:58 pm
Anthony’s assertion is spot on. When you eat sweets, your pancreas responds by pumping out insulin. This tells your liver to STOP converting stored fat to energy and to SWITCH to using the latest influx of glycogen (what your liver converts sugars into) for fuel. Any fat that you eat with the sugars you ingest will lessen the insulin spike, which is arguably a good thing. That said, the increased presence of insulin and the resulting switch from burning fats to burning carbs makes it so that any fat you eat gets stored as fat. So not only are you NOT burning your stored fat, you’re also ADDING more fat to your fat stores.
FoodRenegade’s last blog post..GMOs and Pharmaceuticals
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Kelly 05.18.09 at 11:35 pm
Hi Dr. John,
Here’s more info on nuts:
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/07/soaking-nuts.html
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Chef Rachel 05.19.09 at 10:22 pm
Yes, these treats are a step up from energy bars and candies made from high fructose corn syrup and as Anthony & Food Renegade pointed out, the combination of fat with sugar (even if it’s from honey, maple syrup, agave, or molasses) causes an insulin spike and stops fat burning.
I would recommend against anyone using these bars as a breakfast bar or for daily use. A better breakfast on the go would be some kind of meat with good fat plus veggies or veggies and fruit to stabilize blood sugar, energy, and promote hormonal balance.
To understand more about the effects of insulin, you could check out these books: Life Without Bread and also Good Calories, Bad Calories.
Chef Rachel’s last blog post..Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing
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Kelly 05.19.09 at 11:25 pm
Hi Rachel,
Good Cal/Bad Cal has been on my list for a while, and just the title, “Life Without Bread” sounds like one I should read for sure – thanks for your great advice.
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Jen@Balancing Beauty and Bedlam 05.26.09 at 12:01 am
I just love that you keep giving us great healthy choices. Thanks so much for linking up.
Jen@Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s last blog post..Tasty Tuesday – a Bedlam Moment and Confession
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Life with Kaishon 05.26.09 at 1:00 am
These do sound like something I would go nuts about : ). YUMMY to the max : ).
Life with Kaishon’s last blog post..Sillo WHAT? Picture taking adventures!
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Brenda 05.26.09 at 4:26 pm
These look really good and I might even leave out the chocolate chips!
Brenda’s last blog post..foodgawker for TMTT
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Lee Wilson 05.28.09 at 8:02 pm
I’ve been eating pumpkin seeds lately because they’re supposed to have a lot of zinc among other things. Almonds of course are high on the list of healthy foods. I wish there was an almond pumpkin granola bar!
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Kelly 05.29.09 at 1:15 am
Lee, try making your own! Use soaked almonds and pumpkin seeds, though, but I’ll bet they would be good!
More info on soaked nuts and seeds and why they’re better for you:
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/category/crispy-nuts
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Erin 06.23.09 at 10:41 am
Hmmmm….the comments concerning fats and carbs are rather confusing to me. In NT, doesn’t Sally Fallon recommend pairing fat with carbs? For example: oatmeal and cream; sourdough bread and butter; icecream; or soaked pancakes with butter and maple syrup? So are you saying that carbs and fats should not be paired? Or maybe sugar and fats? Thanks for your help.
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Kelly 06.26.09 at 7:44 pm
Erin, no I think it’s more the straight sugar + carbs + fats that are the problem. (Mostly the sugar/carbs!)
Fats do help with digestion and help slow the insulin response to our foods, so we shouldn’t cut back on healthy fats, but basically, we all need to cut back a LOT on our sweets/carbs, unfortunately…
Anyone want to explain it better? Feel free to help me out!
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Linda Ikeda 07.01.09 at 3:37 am
Kelly,
Please correct me if I misinterpreted you.
Carbs are not given the right credit. We still need good carbs for energy.
Would you allow me to introduce you to my “alternative” healthier
sweeter bars that is better for snacks and breakfast as well?
I am allergic to wheat. My doctor recommended me to stay away from
wheat. So, I develop this wheat free bars that are truly hand made and
use oats and organic black strap molasses, small amount of agave and raw cane sugar. I have been thinking of using Inulin
thank you for your time, Linda Ikeda
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Sue E. 08.23.09 at 2:52 pm
Linda,
Can you give us that recipe??
Sue E.
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