Matisse and Jack's is a company that makes mixes
for homemade, natural energy bars. The mixes come in two flavors, Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Walnut, and include
healthy ingredients like oats and flaxseed. The mixes have no refined flours, no preservatives and no hydrogenated
oils. They're a good source of protein, iron, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids. The premise behind the mixes is
that are a fresh, economical and eco-friendly way to snack on energy bars. Sounds great, but how do they
taste?
For something so simple and healthy, they taste very good. The chocolate chip bars are absolutely packed with chocolate chips. To make the bars, you just stir in a combination of applesauce and/or yogurt according to the package directions. The resulting bars are very moist and chewy. They have a fresh, oaty taste, unlike the processed, overly-sweet taste of commercial bars. I think that they're a great option for on-the-go breakfasting, especially because I actually did feel energized after eating them!
One of the great things about the mix is that it is versatile. The company gives recipe suggestions on the sides of the box as well as on their website, so you can turn the bars into muffins or cookies by changing a few simple ingredients, like butter and eggs instead of applesauce. The mixes are available online, but are not widely available in stores yet.
[Photos by Nicole Weston]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-20-2006 @ 3:25PM
peggy said...
It's easy to make great energy bars without mix. Try this: 1 cup of slow cooked raw oats, 1 cup of natural style nut butter (p-nut, cashew, almond), 1 cup of any favorite high grade protein meal replacement powder. You can add vanilla or almond extract, a little liquid stevia or agave syrup or brown rice syrup for extra sweetener, a touch of cinnamon or nutmeg is nice. Here's a few other optional add-ins: a handfull of chopped raw nuts or raw sunflower seeds, a few raisons, natural chocolate chips, chopped dried dates or other dried fruit, a handfull of natural dried coconut, whatever rings your bell. If the mix is too "sticky" you can add a little dried milk powder to achieve the consistency you want. Yes, it's that easy to make your own energy/protein bars. And it's FUN to do.
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