For snacking, for breakfast? Try these fruit and nut bars

Homemade Fruit and Nut Bars

We all love to snack, so why not have snacks that are not only tasty and satisfying but also give you great nutrition? These fruit and nut bars from my friend Mary Ann Barnes are perfect to pop in a lunchbox or stash in your desk at work. And they also work for breakfast on the go.

Recipe: Fruit and Nut Bars

 Makes 24

Ingredients

8 ounces margarine spread with plant stanols added (for example, Benecol, Smart Balance, or Take Control)

¾ cup egg substitute (or 2 medium eggs)

2 ½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 ½ cups flour, preferably whole grain

½ cup nut flour (if not available, use another ½ cup of flour)

1 large apple, diced

½ cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

½ cup chopped dried apricots

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat and 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Whip together spread, egg substitute and brown sugar on high speed until light and bubbly.  Stir in baking powder and cinnamon.  Add remaining ingredients, and stir until moistened.

Spoon batter into prepared pan, flattening top with a spatula. 

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.   Cool on a wire rack.  Cut into 24 squares. 

Texture contrasts: soft to crispy

One way to make almost any dish interesting is to make sure it includes ingredients with different textures. I have been impressed with the way Local 127 Chef Stephen Geddes uses crispy accents in almost all of his cooking, including even desserts. Ever since a meal we had at his restaurant a couple of months ago, I've been a lot more aware of texture in cooking.
Of course, flavor contrasts are important, too.
Here's a recipe for a rather addictive Indian snack that marries a lot of contrasting flavors and textures. It's from famed Seattle super-chef Jerry Traunfield, who calls it Spice Crispies.
If you don't have all these spices on hand, you can buy small amounts at many spice-specialty stores. (In Cincinnati, there's a great spices store inside Findlay Market.)

Recipe: Spice Crispies (Makes about 4 servings; can be doubled)
Ingredients:
2 cups puffed rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
1/4 cup roasted cashews, unsalted
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, unsalted
1/4 cup wide coconut flakes
1/4 cup golden raisins
3 T peanut oil
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
4 large bay leaves
3 T light corn syrup
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, toss together the cereal, nuts, coconut flakes and raisins.
Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a saucepan, just until it starts to shimmer. Add the mustard seed and cook until the seeds begin to pop, about one minute.
Add the next four ingredients (fennel through bay leaves) and cook, stirring, for another minute.
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
Immediately drizzle the oil and spice mixture over the cereal, tossing to coat well.
Spread onto the baking sheet and place in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until the nuts are golden. (Your kitchen will smell amazing.)
Transfer to a bowl and serve.
You can also place the completed dish into an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to four days.