Fruit and Seed Tri Bars

I just love a recipe that not only tastes great but is good for you too.  I knew as soon as I saw these bars on Roxana's blog, A little bit of Everything, I would have to make them as my Friday treat.

These bars are so adaptable - follow the basic recipe and add whatever fruits, nuts, and seeds you prefer.   My dried fruit came from a bag of Sunsweet Antioxidant Blend - blueberries, cherries, cranberries, and plums - as well as some raisins that I added to the mix.  My other changes were to add some flax seeds and spelt flour to the mix, and I slightly increased the apple sauce to accommodate this.  I used 2 whole eggs but you can also use 4 eggs whites instead if you want to lower the cholesterol.  Other dried fruits such as apricots, apples, or dates would also make a great addition. After cooling they can be cut into bars, but I decided to cut them into triangles, mainly because I liked the shape.  I didn't think of it any further until my husband said that it made sense because they were for a tri group.  It turned out to be a great play on the shape of the bars and the sport - each side represented a leg - swim, bike, run.

The bars were super easy to make and everyone in the training group loved them.

Fruit and Seed Tri Bars

(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients

• 1½ cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1¼ cup dried fruits, chopped
• ⅓ cup sunflower seeds
• ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds
• 3 tablespoons flax seeds
• 4 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 cup rolled oats (regular-not quick cooking) 
• ⅔ cup unsweetened coconut 
• ⅔ cup self-rising flour
• ½ cup spelt flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Line a 11x9 inch pan with non-stick foil.
3. In a large bowl add apple sauce and dried fruit and mix to combine.
4. Add sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, rolled oats, coconut, self-rising and spelt flours, and eggs and stir until well combined.
5. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and spread out evenly with a spatula.
6. Bake for approximately 30 minutes until golden brown.
7. Cool in the pan.
8. Remove from pan onto a cutting board and slice into triangles or bars.
9. Makes approximately 24.

Recipe from A little bit of Everything

To Try Tuesday - Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Here it is To Try Tuesday and I feel a little behind the eight ball.  I had actually made a few things in advance knowing that I was heading to the Big Island to see my husband compete in a Half-Ironman triathlon, but I seem to have been playing catch up ever since and my blog has suffered which has made me a little sad.



The good news is that my husbands hard work paid off and he was first in his age group (and 12th overall!) and earned a spot to the Ford Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona this October.  The girls and I were really glad to be there to cheer him on to his win and take lots (I mean lots) of photos. I always love spending time on the Big Island, and this course is just beautiful, but it is even sweeter with his victory.

OK, back to your regularly scheduled post.  I was recently searching for a recipe for a blueberry quick bread when I came across this recipe by Jamie at My Baking Addiction.   Once you visit her blog you will have a baking addiction too.  Her recipes are amazing, her photos are stunning, and she has very cool giveaways.  A few of her recent posts include Key Lime Pie Ice Cream, Cherry Crisp in Jars, and Heath Bar Cupcakes.  Let me just say that 13,379 (and counting) people on her Facebook page can't be wrong.  If you haven't guessed already I do have a blogging crush on her blog. Where is that little embarrassed smiley when you need it?

Anyway, this quick bread was a big hit with my husband's Saturday training group.  They loved the fact that it had blueberries and zucchini, and a bit of whole wheat flour in it, so it didn't totally negate all of the hard work they had put in training before consuming it. I did sneak a piece the night before and I totally agree that this is a very tasty bread.  It will definitely be a repeater in my household.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup fresh blueberries 
• 2 tablespoons of coarse sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly grease an 8.5 x 4.5 loaf pan.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugars.
4. Fold in the zucchini.
5. Beat in the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
6. Gently fold in the blueberries.
7. Transfer to the prepared loaf pan. 
8. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
9. Bake 55-65 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean.
10. Cool 20 minutes in pan, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe by Jamie at My Baking Addiction. 

To Try Tuesday - Challah

Wow, I really feel as if I have neglected my blog.  I decided at the last moment to travel with my husband to the Big Island and watch him compete in a triathlon, and I have been playing catch up ever since.

My computer went with me on the trip, and I did try to keep up with some blogging (and my Foodbuzz inbox-I still came back to well over 500 messages!), but it just did not happen.  I guess that is what happens when you are staying with good friends, cooking together, watching the race and taking a gazillion photos, and just relaxing.

As I was checking in with various blogs one recipe jumped out at me, challah made easy.  I found this recipe on Samantha's blog, Madison Ave Musings.  She found the recipe in The Kosher Baker by Paula Shoyer, and I am so glad that she did.

For a couple of years my bread maker sat on the counter gathering dust, and sometimes acting as a means of drying a tea towel.  I decided that it was just taking space and I put it away a couple of weeks ago.  I was even thinking of giving it away.  Then I found this recipe.  This could be one of the easiest recipes ever, but it delivers big-time on the taste scale.  Everything literally gets thrown into the bread maker, making sure that the yeast is last, and then you push start.  I kept peaking in the little window at the top to see how it was going, and my mouth was watering because it smelled so good.  Honestly, I don't know if there is a better smell in the world than bread baking.

Once the cycle was complete I was all over that machine.  I could barely wait to get the hot loaf out, take a couple of quick photos, and then slice into that soft goodness.  Warm bread, a little butter and I was in heaven.  We will enjoy the rest of the loaf with dinner tonight.  Needless to say, my bread maker will now be out on the counter again and put to good use.

Challah
(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 ounce (1 envelope) active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 large eggs
• 3 1/2 cups of bread flour

Preparation

1. Pour all ingredients into the bread pan, making sure to add the yeast last.
2. Insert the bread pan into the bread maker and choose the proper settings. (Settings are listed in the recipe book that comes with the bread maker.
3. Wait about 3.5 hours for the challah to finish baking. Without fail you are guaranteed the perfect loaf of bread to enjoy.

Recipe from Madison Ave Musings.

A few photos from the Lavaman 2011 triathlon: