Issue #1: You can no longer find these things on the island of Oahu. I'm betting the outer islands don't have them either. His original solution was to have me pack them in my luggage when I visit (along with reduced-fat potato chips, also unavailable on Oahu unless you want the fat-free cardboard variety).
Issue #2: These things have 5 grams of fat, half of which is saturated, and 13 grams of sugar per bar. The sugar level alone isn't so bad but it seems to be from refined sources. The first ingredient is brown rice syrup, the third is evaporated cane juice crystals, and the fourth is crystalline fructose. Yes, I know those aren't as refined and processed as some other sugars, but we're not talking straight from fruits & vegetables either.
Issue #3: These bars run over $1 each.
Now, I will say that my father was not particularly concerned with #2 or #3. He did have a moment of hesitation over the saturated fat thing, but not enough to stop him. Personally, I think it's crazy. Not so much in a broad sense, I'm all for everything in moderation, but he eats these things all the time. So I took it upon myself to come up with something that: 1) has less saturated fat; 2) has the majority of sugars from dried or fresh fruit; 3) has similar calories and fiber; 4) is made with ingredients available in Hawaii; and 5) TASTES GOOD.
Please note that I said nothing about looks. There's a reason the picture is not at the top. This is my first attempt. 24 hours after making them, they were soggy and needed to be toasted for about 1 minute before they were appealing. 48 hours after making them, they are still soft but now it is in a good way. No idea what happened.
Chocolate & Peanut Fiber Bars
1/4 cup Multi Grain Cereal (I used Country Choice, it's in a canister like oatmeal)
1 cup puffed kamut
1 cup puffed brown rice
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup minced dried figs
3 Tablespoons minced peanuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Better'n Peanut Butter (you could use regular peanut butter)
1/4 cup date puree (send pitted dates on a whirl in the blender or mince really fine)
2 Tablespoons honey
Put multi-grain cereal in a small food chopper and pulse until it looks like very coarse flour. In a large bowl, combine mulit-grain cereal, puffed kamut, puffed rice, flaxseed meal, cocoa powder, figs, peanuts, and salt.
In a microwave safe container, combine Better'n Peanut Butter, date puree, and honey. Heat for about 30 to 60 seconds, just until warm and liquid. Stir to combine. Pour over dry ingredients and stir to combine thoroughly. Press into an 8" square pan lined with parchment. Let cool; cut into 6 to 8 pieces. Store in an airtight container. Consider waiting 2 days before eating.
For 1/6 of the recipe the estimated nutrition is 180 calories, 5 grams fat (0.8 grams saturated), 6 grams fiber, 12 grams sugars
I am planning to try again, leaving out the water, reducing the cocoa and multi-grain cereal, increasing the dates, and toasting the puffs first. A smaller pan for a thicker bar might be good too.
