Kate in the Kitchen

OK, we're going to make homemade energy bars.  I got this recipe from a Cooking Light article about foods that stabilize our energy levels instead of the yo-yo effect we get from lots of carbs.

 YUMMY! That's the magazine picture.  Let's see if mine turn out like that.

 INGREDIENTS
1 C uncooked, old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 C uncooked quinoa
3/4 C sweetened dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 C salted, dry-roasted pistachios, chopped
1/3 C flaked, unsweetened coconut
2 T flax seed meal. (FLAX SEED MEAL!?! Couldn't find it.  Wheat germ worked OK.)
1 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 C unsalted creamy almond butter
6 T agave nectar
1 T canola oil
1/4 t salt
Cooking spray

 DIRECTIONS
There's some chopping to do at the outset.  Don't make the mistake I made:  buy pistachios already shelled.  Tedious...

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

 2.  Spread oats and quinoa on a baking sheet.

 3.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. They won't look much different, but you will hear the quinoa starting to pop.

 4.  Cool.  Whenever you think you are going to be lazy about this step, think about the chocolate you are going to put into it and be strong.  You don't want a huge melted mess, right?  Right?

 5.  While it's cooling, combine the almond butter, agave, oil and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.

 6.  Bring it to a boil.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

 7.  Coat your 8-inch square glass pan with cooking spray.

 8.  Are the oats cool, yet?  If they are, you can stir in the cranberries, pistachios, coconut, flax seed meal (that looks like wheat germ to me...) and chocolate.

 9.  Pour the almond butter mixture over the oat mixture.  Toss well to coat.

 10.Press mixture into pan and cook at 350 degrees F for 13 minutes or until lightly browned (watch the coconut for evidence of browning:  the other ingredients are already brown).

 11.  Let cool completely...  I guess I need special lighting to make them look like the picture in the magazine...

12.  And cut them into bars while they are still in the pan. NOM!  NOM!