An Even Better Breakfast Bar

It's fortunate for you that I am a fickle foodie, switching my allegiances to recipes over time, continually seeking out new recipes and new ways to make foods that I love. Not too long ago I wrote about Breakfast Bars and I posted some good recipes that I have been enjoying to date. But then my curiosity brought me to  this Health Bar and I am now smitten with its wholesome, natural charms.  I love this bar because it contains absolutely no added fat, the moistness that binds it coming from cooked and pureed dates. Simple, healthy and clever. The dense, chewy, grainy, nutritious result is filled with nothing but nuts, grains and fruit, a guilt-free indulgence I rely on at all times of day for energy boosts. I applaud the inclusion of ground flax seed, oatmeal and wheat germ, as well as the inspired variety of dried fruits the bar is studded with.  All in all, this is a breakfast bar worth keeping, thanks to www.marthastewart.com.

Dried Fruit and Nut Health Bars

1 cup pitted dates; 1+1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, finely ground, or 1 cup quinoa flakes; 1 cup pecans, toasted, 1/2 finely ground and 1/2 coarsely chopped; 1/2 cup dried papaya, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped; 1/3 cup dried blueberries; 1 tbsp. oat bran; 3 tbsp. ground flaxseed; 2 tbsp. wheat germ; 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 1 tsp. ground cinnamon; 3 tbsp. honey.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place dates in a small sauceepan with just enough cold water to cover them. Bring to a simmer and cook briefly until dates have softened. Purree dates and their cooking water in a food processor until smooth.

Coat an 8-inch square pan with a tasteless oil like canola. Mix oats, nuts, dried fruit, bran, flaxseed, wheat gern, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix in date puree and honey and combine well. Press mixture into pan. Bake until center is firm and edges are golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool and cut into bars.

As happy as this bar makes me, there is a restlessness in me that prompts me to play around with the recipe, maintaining the basic proportions but substituting in variations of fruits and nuts. I made a version of this bar with cooked, pureed figs instead of dates, which were thick and delicious, like a better Fig Newton cookie without the crust. I used dried cherries, blueberries and yellow raisins which speckled the bars like little, glistening jewels. I am eager to try cooked, pureed apricots as a base, with walnuts and dried prunes, cranberries and dessicated coconut. My friend Sue infused her rendition of this addictive bar with sunflower seeds and pine nuts to rave reviews. No reason why each of these permutations will not be perfectly pleasing.

Serve up bars for breakfast, along with other good things, with some help from these books: 
                                        

  Essentials of breakfast & brunch : recipes, menus, and ideas for delicious morning meals by Williams, Chuck, 1915-

  Morning food : breakfasts, brunches & more for savoring the best part of the day by Fox, Margaret S.