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    Home » Budget Recipes

    Wholesome Energy Bars

    Published: Feb 10, 2013 · Modified: Dec 17, 2022 by Jessica Fisher

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    Bake up a batch of these energy bars, full of whole grains, seeds, and dried fruit. They are a great way to start your morning.

    toasted energy bars

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    Years ago I worked as a server for a small Santa Barbara restaurant group. Brigitte and Norbert owned Brigitte’s, Brigitte’s Bakery, and Cafe B. I was fresh out of college, newly engaged, and shaking in my boots to work for this very intense couple. Norbert was the chef/baker of the lot. Brigitte took care of things up front in the restaurant, a white table cloth and extensive wine list kind of place.

    I worked in the bakery where it was quiet, serving coffee drinks and muffins to whoever happened along. Back in 1994, this was the equivalent of what Starbucks is today, I suppose. Except the coffee wasn’t as good. The baked goods, however, beat Starbucks flat.

    As scary as Norbert was in his tall, bulky German way, I gotta admit: he knew food.

    I had had a little experience with food prior to this job. I knew grocery retail from my days at Lucky. And I knew prep kitchen stuff, having worked for the University catering company in college.

    At Brigitte’s, I expanded my food knowledge. I asked lots of questions and got to try lots of great food. One of the perks of working there was that you got one free meal per shift.

    I loved the Caesar Salad from the restaurant, the fried ravioli, the salmon with pesto, and the mango muffins. I first met foccacia there as well as goat cheese tart. I ate so well that year.

    It was a pretty nice gig for the nine months I worked there before grad school.

    One of the bright spots of working in the bakery was getting an education in the variety of baked goods that could be dreamed up. Every morning trays and trays of baked goods slid out of the oven and we stocked the bakery case. One such goodie was the energy bar. It was chock full of fruits, nuts, and seeds, very tasty when toasted and coated in butter.

    energy bars cooling on rack

    Norbert never gave me the recipe. And I would have died before I asked for it. He scared me.

    So, I monkeyed in the kitchen a few years ago to recreate the energy bars of my memory. These are fabulous. I can’t keep them in the house; my kids eat them up too quickly.

    There are so many great oat recipes for you to try after this one!

    These bars are a part of a recipe collection known as Not Your Mother’s Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook. Yep, these are very freezer friendly. So, bake up a batch and hide them from your kids in the freezer to enjoy later.

    energy bars, split and toasted, with butter

    Wholesome Energy Bars

    Enjoy these whole grain, nut- and fruit- filled rolls. They are delicious split and toasted and served with a bit of butter.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 24
    Calories: 127kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Cost: $4

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup milk
    • 3 tablespoon olive oil
    • 3 tablespoon honey
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup whole-wheat flour
    • 2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup oat flour
    • ¼ cup cornmeal
    • 1 tablespoon orange zest (from 1 orange)
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup dried cranberries
    • ¼ cup golden raisins
    • ¼ cup raisins
    • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    To make in the bread machine

    • Combine all of the ingredients in your bread machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Program the machine for the dough setting and start it.

    To make the dough by hand

    • Place the milk and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the liquid and allow it to rest five minutes. It should foam and bubble.
      1 cup milk, 3 tablespoon honey, 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
    • Add the oil, vanilla, flours, orange zest, cornmeal, cinnamon, and salt. Place the bowl on the mixer and stir with the bread hook until a dough ball forms around the hook, scraping down the sides. (Alternatively, you can stir in the flour with a wooden spoon.)
      3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup whole-wheat flour, 2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour, ½ cup oat flour, ¼ cup cornmeal, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt
    • Add the dried fruit and sunflower seeds and continue mixing just until incorporated.
      ¼ cup dried cranberries, ¼ cup golden raisins, ¼ cup raisins, ¼ cup sunflower seeds
    • Knead the dough ball for several minutes, either with the dough hook or by hand on a lightly floured surface. Once the dough ball is smooth and elastic, grease the bowl and place the dough ball in the center. Cover and allow the dough to rise until doubled in bulk, about 60 to 90 minutes.

    To form the bars

    • Grease a baking sheet. When the dough is ready, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Cut into 12 rectangles and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
    • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Allow the bars to rise for about 20 minutes.
    • Bake the bars for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool the bars on a rack.
    • Freezing instructions: Place the cooled bars in the freezer bag and seal, removing as much air as possible. Freeze.
    • To thaw and serve: Thaw the desired number of bars at room temperature. Serve at room temperature, or cut the bars in half horizontally, toast, and serve with butter.

    Notes

    Nutritional values are approximate and are based on making 24 bars from the recipe. Freeze or use within 4 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Tell us what you think! Your reviews help us develop better recipes and give newcomers the confidence to try your favorites. Scroll down to leave a starred comment.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anne

      December 08, 2024 at 12:02 pm

      These came out better the next time I made by hand. I added more liquid. My husband has one almost every day and he stores them in a zip lock bag at room temperature. They get hard after a few days. How long can they be stored at room temperature?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 11, 2024 at 10:03 am

        The ones at the grocery store are pretty hard as well. I’d say eat or freeze within 3 days.

        Reply
    2. Anne

      May 26, 2024 at 12:30 pm

      I don’t have a bread machine but want to make this. Another comment by Jean said you can make without a bread machine. So would I mix ALL the ingredients and then let it rise for a couple hours?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        June 03, 2024 at 5:24 pm

        Hi Anne. I edited the recipe card to reflect how to use a stand mixer or to mix in a bowl if you don’t have a bread machine. Thanks for your patience!

        Reply
        • Anne

          November 13, 2024 at 12:42 pm

          Just realized I don’t have a bread hook for my stand up mixer. Any suggestions?

        • Jessica Fisher

          November 18, 2024 at 9:52 am

          It’s not difficult to make by hand. Just stir together and then transfer to a floured surface to knead it for a few minutes.

    3. Jean

      January 04, 2024 at 4:56 pm

      5 stars
      Just made these without a bread machine. Mixed all in the mixer then kneaded by hand for maybe 5 minutes. Made the rectangle, cut into 12. Mine had to rise about 2 hours because of it being cold! Came out delicious!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        January 04, 2024 at 7:18 pm

        Yay! Glad to hear it!

        Reply
    4. HH

      July 22, 2021 at 9:07 pm

      5 stars
      Came out great! I didn’t have an orange handy so added a bit more milk and some lemonade concentrate as well as lemon zest.
      I thought recipe was unclear as to what parts of the orange to use in addition to the zest.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        July 24, 2021 at 7:46 am

        Thanks so much for your feedback. I appreciate your taking the time. I updated the recipe to make it clearer. (It’s just orange zest.) Glad your adaptations worked so well!

        Reply
    5. YJ

      July 28, 2020 at 3:46 am

      5 stars
      This is the recipe I need for the bread machine. Never have left a review before I tried a recipe but I know that they will be great. Don’t have cornmeal so will throw in something else. Thanks.

      Reply
    6. Jamie

      January 25, 2016 at 9:22 am

      Does anyone have the nutritional facts on these? Calories, fat, etc?

      Reply
    7. Susan Hoff

      October 18, 2015 at 8:42 am

      I once had a deli close by that made these – like 20 years ago – and I loved them! I haven’t found them anywhere since then, and now I can make them myself! Thanks for working out Norbert’s details. I liked them toasted with peanut butter back then. I will be trying these this week. Thank you, again, and again!

      Reply
    8. Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef

      February 11, 2013 at 7:01 pm

      i can’t wait to try these! yum!

      Reply
    9. coleen

      February 11, 2013 at 4:31 pm

      Thanks, can’t wait to try these!

      Reply
    10. Megan

      February 11, 2013 at 1:44 pm

      I love making these with almond extract instead of the vanilla and subbing in chopped almonds for the sunflower seeds. I usually try and change up the dried fruit too, depending what’s in my pantry. I love dried cherries in these bars!

      Reply
    11. Brandi

      February 11, 2013 at 9:26 am

      Yum yum yum! Love these so much! I often eat one cut in half, toasted, with butter and some milk for a quick but healthy breakfast. My 3 year old is weirded out by the seeds but loves the flavor, next batch I’ll skip the seeds for her.

      Reply
    12. Lee Anne

      February 11, 2013 at 5:27 am

      So glad to see you back at good cheap eats. I missed you after the everyday update from the pantry challenge. 🙂

      Reply
      • Jessica

        February 12, 2013 at 7:51 am

        @Lee Anne, thanks!

        Reply
    13. Deb

      February 11, 2013 at 3:51 am

      Is each bar = 2 servings? The recipe says to cut in to 12 bars, but it says it is 24 servings

      Reply
      • Jessica

        February 11, 2013 at 3:25 pm

        Half a bar is pretty filling, IMO.

        Reply
    14. Sandi

      February 10, 2013 at 8:32 pm

      For those of us without a bread machine, would we just mix it all together? Is anything else necessary?

      Reply
      • Jessica

        February 10, 2013 at 8:51 pm

        @Sandi, make them like typical bread dough. Proof the yeast in the liquids, add the dry. Knead until dough ball is elastic and smooth.

        Reply
      • Jen

        February 17, 2013 at 4:56 am

        @Sandi, I made these by hand yesterday, and it was a bit of a difficult job. Kneading whole flours is harder, imho, than just all-AP, and I ended up adding a little more liquid as I couldn’t knead away dry patches. Kneading in the fruits/seeds was a challenge, too, because of the very little give of the dough. I just kept at it, though, and smooshed a bunch of what fell out to the tops. Mine didn’t quite rise enough–next time, I might give them 40 rather than 20 minutes–and they’re a bit hard to slice. I popped a mostly-sliced one into the micro for 30 seconds this morning and added a bit of butter, and it was worth all the trouble! 🙂

        Reply
        • Jessica

          February 17, 2013 at 10:36 am

          @Jen, thanks for sharing your experience making them by hand. That is super helpful!

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm a 4x cookbook author and 6x mom. I know what it is to be in a hurry and on a budget. I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter what's on their plate. I've been featured on Good Morning America, PBS News Hour, and NBC.

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