Homemade Energy Bars

One of my favorite books on running is John Parker Jr.'s Once a Runner. At one point, as the protagonist digs into a huge pile of greasy food, he proclaims, "if the furnace is hot enough, anything will burn." While it is true that competitive runners can get away with consuming inordinate amounts of food (and I most certainly take advantage on occasion), not all calories are created equal, and putting the right kind of fuel in your body can make a big difference in your ability to train and compete at a high level. You can't drive a car with an empty tank, and neither can you run without any fuel.

Energy bars are a great, convenient way to keep yourself fueled when you're training. They come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors, and most grocery stores have a dizzying array. However, many of them are loaded with refined sugars and processed ingredients that are difficult for non-chemists to pronounce or are prohibitively expensive for most of us. Luckily, making energy bars at home is super easy, quick, cheap, and healthier than you're likely to find in the store, with ingredients that you can find in the bulk bins. The recipe that I use is adapted from this one, which I found in Running Times (click for a good explanation of why they're good for you). The recipe specifies these as a pre-run snack, but they're great both before a run and after. The other nice thing about these is that you can whip up a large batch and throw a bunch in the freezer, so that you can keep them fresh for when you need them - just take them out an hour or two before you want to fuel up. As another bonus, making them homemade means they're 100% customizable. Oh, and did I mention that they're delicious?

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup dried fruit, chopped if needed (raisins, cherries, cranberries, dates, goji)

3/4 cup raw sliced almonds

1/2 cup raw unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

2 Tbsp chia seeds (or whole flax seeds)

1 1/2 cups tahini (or natural nut butter)

1 cup raw clover honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Mix together oats, coconut, dried fruit, almonds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and chia seeds in a large mixing bowl.

2. Stir together tahini and honey, microwave on high for 1 minute, then stir in vanilla.

3. Pout wet ingredients over dry and mix well.

4. Spread mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and smooth out the top.

5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for ~15 min, until edges have browned. (you can also leave these raw, although they hold together better with a little baking)

6. Allow to cool, then cut into desired number of bars. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for 1-2 months.

Variations:
-Add in 2 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate (>60% cocoa)
-Stir in 1/4 cup natural cocoa with dry ingredients
-use any mix of nuts and seeds that you'd like (cashews, pistachio, walnuts, hemp seeds, etc.)
-replace honey with maple syrup or agave nectar
-instead of making bars, make bite-sized energy balls: use a cookie scoop or hands to make into golf ball-sized balls, and place close together on baking sheet

Makes 16 large or 24 small bars