I've struggled for a while with what to call these little nuggets of goodness.
At first I called them…… Kind of "Kind" Bars
Then …..Sort of "Kind" Bars
Then I became concerned that the fine folks who make Kind Bars might take offense at my using their trademarked name in ANY way, so I thought of a synonym for "Kind" instead.
Et voila….Amiable Bars were born!
If you're a fan of Kind Bars (and hey….who isn't?), but would like to customize one to your very own liking (and save a bunch of dough in the process) then give these a try. At $1.50 – $2.00 a pop depending on where you buy them, a Kind Bar addiction can really set you back. Make them yourself, and not only do you end up with exactly the bar you want, but for probably no more than $3 bucks worth of ingredients, you get 8-12 bars (depending on how generously you cut them). These are great with you afternoon coffee or tea, or as an energy packed snack if you're on the go.
Feel free to switch up the nuts, add different seeds, some spices, or an entirely different variety of dried fruit if you wish. The key here is to keep the liquid and dry ingredient ratio the same as the written recipe. Also, the use of brown rice syrup is not an option, it is mandatory. Don't be tempted to substitute honey, or agave, or corn syrup…they won't work. I'm not sure of the chemistry of why that is the case (if anyone else does, please let us know in the comments), but trust me when I tell you that using anything but brown rice syrup will lead to very un-Kind results.
Cheers – Steve
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted peanuts
- 1/2 cup roasted, salted cashews, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup puffed rice cereal
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon dessicated coconut
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup brown rice syrup
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 325℉.
- Line an 8"x8" metal baking pan with heavy-duty foil, and spray with cooking spray.
- Toss all the nuts, seeds, coconut, cereal, and dried fruit into a large bowl.
- Measure the rice syrup into a microwave proof measuring cup. Microwave for 15 seconds or so, just to warm it slightly and make it easier to stir into the other ingredients. Pour the rice syrup over the nut mixture, add the salt and stir till evenly coated.
- Dump the mixture into the prepared pan, then top with a piece of parchment or wax pepper coated with cooking spray, and press the mix to evenly fill the bottom of the pan, and into as compact a layer as you can manage.
- Bake the bars for 20-23 minutes, until lightly browned at the edges, but still slightly bubbling in the center. Let cool at least 30 minutes in the pan set on a wire rack, then remove to a cutting board, peel off the foil, and cut into 8-12 bars - as you like.
- Wrap each individually in plastic wrap and store in the fridge till ready to nosh.