Energy-O Bars

My entry for Click Aug '08 (Citrus)!

Even though it feels vain I really might like to grow old like Dev Anand the evergreen heart-throb of atleast a couple of Hindi movie going generations. Yes he’s gazillion years old, and someone really ought to tell Dev saab that dyeing his hair black (or is that a black wig) does nothing to take away the creases he has collected over the years. But I also think he doesn’t really care for what people make of him – he’s out there doing his thing. Which was entertaining the masses till a couple of decades ago and now I guess the masses entertain him or else what must he be thinking making all those stupendously surreal movies that he has been making in the recent past? But really the man has energy and yes I’d love to have some of that serious joy for life when I get as old as him. Inshallah!

Maybe these energy bars could spell an end to the energy crisis that hits mums of one year olds. It’ll be nice to be remembered as the lady who’s got all the answers, but sadly though I have ‘adapted’ it now, these energy bars aren’t really my own creation. I went back and forth two sources, first a delectable blog called, The Kitchen Sink and the other a site called RecipeLand.com. I don't have the source link.


Kristin of Kitchen Sink calls these Granola Bars, mine don’t have any granola only loads of fruits, nuts & orange zest, hence came up with Energy O Bars. O ofcourse stands for the unmistakable burst of orange that comes with each bite!

Ingredients:
Almonds – 1 cup
Chopped Walnuts – 1 cup
Sesame seeds –1/4 cup
Chopped pitted dried Plums – 1 cup
Dried mixed berries – 1/2 cup
Chopped dried apples – 1/2 cup
Golden Raisins – 1 cup
Bran flakes/corn cereal – 3 cups
Cinnamon powder – 1 tsp (optional)
Orange zest – 2 tsp
Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

Butter – 1/4 cup
Firmly packed soft brown sugar – 1/4 cup
Corn Syrup – 1/4 cup
Honey – 1/4 cup

A rectangular approx. 9 inch dish lined with aluminium foil. The foil should be spilling out of the dish.

Method:
1. Dry roast, separately, the walnuts, almonds and sesame seeds.

2. Combine all the ingredients except the last four (butter, sugar, honey and syrup) and pulse it in the blender. It’ll still be coarse and some almonds will be whole, that’s how it is meant to be.

3. Heat a heavy bottomed pan on medium burner and melt the butter, drop in the brown sugar and stir nicely till it melts.

4. Next add the corn syrup and honey or again you can entirely use only honey and let it come to a uniform boil.

5. Now lower the flame and add the fruit and nuts mixture stirring till it coats evenly.

6. Now transfer to the dish lined with foil, spread evenly and press down firmly with the bottom of your measuring cup.

7. Leave to cool completely, infact once its half cool put the dish in your refrigerator and don’t look at it until after a couple of hours.

8. Take the dish out and lift out the mass with the foil handles and lay upside down on a cutting tray.

9. Remove the foil carefully and cut the fruit and nuts piece into bars of desired size.

I cling wrapped the bars and they are so good on the go that they are off to WTSIM... the summer edition - being hosted by thepassionatecook.

And my entry for Bee & Jai's Click event is also off from this post. The theme this month is Citrus and the last date for entries is 30th of August!!