Bars | Zest For Cooking

Nutty Oat Bars

June 9, 2022 by pamflo

Crunchy on the outside but soft in the middle, sweet and nutty, and honestly a terrific and satisfying snack or breakfast! Many bars are either too sweet or not sweet enough, crumble when cut or too mushy. Nutritious and flavorful, this is the perfect bar. High in protein and calcium, amaranth is a gluten-free grain and an important food source in South America and Mexico. If amaranth is hard to find, sesame seeds or quinoa are a good substitute. Don’t […]

Categories: Bars, Breakfast Ideas, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Gluten Free, Healthish, Nuts/Seeds, Snack • Tags: Bake

Date and Almond Butter Fudge Bars

April 21, 2022 by pamflo

Always in search of a healthy treat, I was inspired by this fudge recipe that uses dates as a base and provides its sweetness. Large and plump, Medjool dates are a perfect natural sweetener for bars, smoothies and baked goods. Dates are a stone fruit that are high in fiber and a rich source of antioxidants. Choose dates that are shiny, unbroken, and not too firm. Both the coconut oil and almond butter have a dual purpose of providing great […]

Categories: Bars, Breakfast Ideas, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Gluten Free, Healthish, Holiday Ideas • Tags: No Cooking

Almond Chocolate Chip (No Cook) Oat Bars

March 7, 2019 by pamflo

There is a vast array of snack bars, protein bars and crunchy snack items on the market. I love making my own snack bars since I can choose my ingredients and know there are no stabilizers or added sugar. These bars couldn’t be easier to make as they don’t even require cooking, just a trip to the freezer. Almond butter is the base of the bar, and the oats keep the bars together along with maple syrup. I added lightly […]

Categories: Bars, Breakfast Ideas, Chocolate, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Healthish, Low Sugar • Tags: No Cooking

Paleo Coconut Caramel Bars

July 12, 2018 by pamflo

I love to inspire people in the kitchen and so I don’t often talk about recipe failures. However, I make many with all the experimenting that I do! The first round of making this recipe was a complete failure. The thing about baking is that it takes focus, attention to detail and respect for the right proportion of ingredients. It’s also why baking is so enjoyable too! This recipe is free of grain, dairy and refined sugars and instead uses […]

Categories: Bars, Chocolate, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Low Sugar, Paleo • Tags: Bake, Simmer

Chocolate Toffee Matzo

April 21, 2016 by pamflo

The start of the Jewish holiday, Passover, begins on Friday at sundown. Although Chocolate Toffee Matzo isn’t a traditional Passover dish, it is a delectable and addictive treat. You don’t have to celebrate Passover to enjoy this sweet and salty dessert. Matzo, an unleavened flatbread, is a key part of the Passover seder and the week long holiday. This flat cracker originated when the Israelites were exiled from Egypt and didn’t have the time to let their bread rise. You can substitute gluten-free crackers […]

Categories: Bars, Chocolate/Candy, Dessert, Gifts, Snack • Tags: Bake, Boil

Chocolate Bark

December 22, 2015 by pamflo

In preparation for the holidays, I thought I would re-post chocolate bark, a decadent holiday gift idea. It’s a fun and festive recipe, delicious and easy to make. Most professional chocolate is “tempered”, which requires it to be brought to a certain temperature. This ensures a shiny finish, and a longer shelf life. This process takes time and a bit of skill. This bark recipe doesn’t require tempering and is so addicting that it will get eaten before it’s chopped! Un-tempered chocolate […]

Categories: Bars, Chocolate/Candy, Dairy Free, Dessert, Fruit, Low Sugar, Nuts, Snack • Tags: Dairy Free, Melt, Sprinkle, Stir

Sesame Peanut Bars

October 8, 2015 by pamflo

My younger son usually feels left out when I make nutty homemade energy bars, as most of the bars are made with tree nuts, and he has an allergy. Crunchy, healthy and yummy, these bars are made with sesame seeds and peanuts, a legume, not a tree nut. Sesame seeds are available in many colors such as, black, white, red and yellow, and are nutrient-dense and high in dietary fiber. These bars can be made with all white seeds, but the black sesame seeds provide […]

Categories: Bars, Beans/Legumes, Breakfast Ideas, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Nuts/Seeds, Snack • Tags: Bake, Dairy Free, Gluten Free

Nutty Oat Bars

May 7, 2015 by pamflo

Crunchy on the outside but soft in the middle, sweet and nutty, and honestly a terrific snack or breakfast! I’ve been working on finding a healthy and satisfying snack bar. Some bars are either too sweet or not sweet enough, crumble when cut or too mushy. Nutritious and flavorful, this is the perfect bar. High in protein and calcium, amaranth is a gluten-free grain and an important food source in South America and Mexico. If amaranth is hard to find, sesame seeds or […]

Categories: Bars, Breakfast Ideas, Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Nuts/Seeds, Rice/Grains, Snack • Tags: Bake, Boil, Dairy Free, Gluten Free

DIY Energy Bar

October 16, 2014 by pamflo

Many people rely on energy bars for a quick snack or even as a meal replacement. Over the past few years the snack bar options have improved dramatically, but many bars still have too many grams of sugar. Seamus Mullen, chef and cookbook author, recently wrote an article for a health magazine with a power bar recipe that looked so good, it prompted me to […]

Categories: Bars, Breakfast Ideas, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Paleo, Snack • Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, No Cooking, Paleo