LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2017

BASICS POWER BARS

SWITCH IT UP! For an all-almond variation, try using roasted almond

butter and roasted almonds in place of the cashews.

Knowing exactly what’s in a protein bar makes it a lot more appealing. The pu ed brown rice gives these bars a pleasing texture reminis- cent of a classic childhood treat, and the thin layer of chocolate takes them to another level. Don’t be tempted to cut back on the honey— you need it to help hold the bars together. ½ cup (125 mL) honey 1 tbsp (15 mL) coconut oil ¾ cup (175 mL) smooth natural almond & cashew butter ¼ cup (60 mL) ground almonds ¼ cup (60 mL) plant-based protein smoothie powder (such as Vega “Oh Natural”) ¼ tsp (1 mL) kosher salt 1½ cups (375 mL) pu ed brown rice Packed-with-Protein Bars

⅔ cup (150 mL) dark chocolate chips, melted ¼ cup (60 mL) chopped roasted salted cashews 1 Line a 9-inch (23-cm) square pan with parch- ment paper. Set aside. 2 Place honey in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 30 sec- onds then remove from heat. Add coconut oil and almond & cashew butter and stir until combined. 3 Scrape nut butter mixture into a bowl, add ground almonds, protein powder and salt, and stir until incorporated. Add pu ed brown rice

and stir until well coated. Pack mixture into prepared pan and chill for 30 minutes or until firm. Remove from fridge. 4 Use parchment paper to pull solid bar mix- ture from pan. Melt chocolate chips. Driz- zle chocolate over chilled bar mixture and spread into an even thin layer. Sprinkle with chopped cashews. Chill 30 minutes then cut into 16 bars. Wrap bars individually and store in a sealed bag or box in the fridge for up to 1 month. Makes 16 bars

FOOD & DRI NK SPRING