Beyond Power Bars — Tahini Ginger Bars

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My latest homemade power bar, the tahini ginger bar, was inspired by a snack I nibbled on in the spa lounge at the Four Seasons Resort in Jackson Hole years ago. What I was doing in the spa lounge of the Four Seasons, I can’t recall. Nor can I remember who I was with or what spa treatment I had scheduled. (Come to think of it, when was the last time I visited a spa?)

But I remember the sesame-sprinkled power bars that were obviously house-made in the Four Seasons kitchen. They contained at least a dozen ingredients — thoughtfully listed by the Four Seasons staff lest you ingest something that disagrees with you — bound together by a chewy honey base. A small square of this sesame, nut and honey bar with a hot cup of tea was a memorably nice snack.

Although I jotted down the list of ingredients at the time — was it ten years ago already? — the list is long lost amongst the notes I write to myself about food that inspires me. (Perhaps my visit to the Four Seasons Spa predated the iPhone.)

The tahini ginger bar I conjured up in my kitchen this week is a hybrid of that Four Seasons Bar of years ago and the modern pre-packaged KIND bar. My bar is less sweet and more savory, and has a short ingredient list:  dates, almonds, sesame seeds, brown rice syrup, ground ginger and crisped rice cereal. And tahini — you most likely have a jar of this creamy sesame seed paste in the back of the fridge. I am almost certain that the Four Seasons chefs didn’t use tahini, but I love how it adds a savory note that balances the sweetness of the dates. 

You can take this crispy and chewy power bar many different directions.  Substitute cashews for the almonds and cashew butter for the tahini for your very own cashew ginger bar. If you like it sweeter (my husband did say that this bar was a tad too savory for him), add a ½ cup of chopped crystallized ginger. Or use any chopped dried fruit for the dates; apricots, figs, and prunes come to mind. Just don’t substitute honey for the brown rice syrup. I tried that and it didn’t bind.

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Recipe: Tahini-Ginger Bars

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 1/3 cup sesame seeds
  • ½ cup dates, pitted and chopped
  • 1/3 cup brown rice syrup
  • ¼ cup tahini, well mixed and at room temperature, it should be the consistency of creamy peanut butter
  • 1 heaping teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2/3 cup crisped brown rice cereal (or Rice Krispies)
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher or coarse sea salt, to taste
  • Cooking spray and parchment paper or foil, for the pan

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
  2. Prepare an 8-inch by 8-inch square baking pan by lining it with parchment paper or foil and spraying it with cooking spray.
  3. Place the almonds on a small baking dish (I use a pie tin) and toast until golden, about 8 minutes. Place in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Using the same baking dish, toast the sesame seeds in the oven for just a few minutes until golden. Add to the bowl with the almonds.
  5. Pour all other ingredients into the bowl with the almonds and the sesame seeds and mix well, taking care not to crush the crisped rice cereal. Taste for saltiness; I often will add another generous pinch of salt at this point.
  6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press the bars evenly and firmly. It helps to use another piece of parchment paper, wax paper or foil to firmly press on the top of the bars with your hands or a spatula. Peel off the paper before baking.
  7. Bake for 15-17 minutes, keeping a close eye on them after 12 minutes. They are done when the edges are starting to brown and the center is almost set.
  8. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes.
  9. Lift the parchment paper liner from the pan to transfer the bars to a countertop.
  10. Cut into 10 bars or 15 squares, or whatever size bars you like, and let cool completely before wrapping individually with plastic wrap.
  11. The bars will keep, individually wrapped, at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for 2 weeks, and in the freezer for 3 months. In my household of 4 active people, they lasted exactly 24 hours.

 

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Annie Fenn

A retired gynecologist turned food writer, Annie Fenn writes about food and life in Jackson Hole. Lately, she has been struggling to keep up with the caloric needs of her two soccer- and skiing-obsessed teenage boys. Find more of her recipes at www.jacksonholefoodie.com and follow her on Instagram @jacksonholefoodie for more frequent foodie inspiration.

Tom Evans