Energy bars are handy for a quick recovery. They are easy to bring, and you can eat them while hiking or paddling. The advantage of homemade energy bars is that they cost a fraction of purchased ones. They taste better and do not contain unnecessary additives like bought bars.

There are several ways to make dehydrated energy bars. One is dehydrating muesli that you mix with fruit or berries into thin bars. The base is always a puree of fruit or berries that act as a glue to grains or nuts.

Basic recipe energy bars – on fresh fruit

1. Blend fruit into a puree in a food processor or with a blender. Gently heat the puree in the microwave or a pan, then it will mix faster with the oats.
2. Measure the same amount of muesli, semolina or chopped nuts as the puree and stir together.
3. Add spices and sugar if you want them sweeter or wish more flavour.
4. Leave to swell for an hour.

… or on dried fruit

1. Boil 500 ml of water with 500 ml of chopped fruit. Let it swell for a quarter of an hour.
2. Mix with 500 ml of semolina, muesli or chopped nuts.
3. Add spices and sugar if you want them sweeter or more flavour.
4. Leave to swell for an hour.

Shaping and drying

Shape the mixture into a big rectangle on a cutting board, no more than one centimetre thick.

Cut out pieces and move them to a baking paper/dehydrating mat.

Dry at 60°C Celsius in an oven or food dehydrator. After a few hours, put the bars on a wire rack.

Dry until the bars are tough. If you make them too dry, they will be hard to chew.

Leave to cool and wrap in a sandwich wrap or plastic wrap.

Recipe: FIG-COCONUT ENERGY BARS

500 ml chopped figs

500 ml of water

300 ml toasted oatmeal

200 ml grated coconut

1. Boil the figs in water and let them swell for a quarter of an hour. Meanwhile, toast the oatmeal in a large frying pan over high heat.
2. Blend the soaked fruit and mix with oatmeal and coconut flakes. Let swell for an hour or so.
3. Form cookies and place them on baking paper with space in between and leave to dry in the oven or food dehydrator at 52°C (125°F).

Energy bar banana, chocolate & peanuts

500 ml banana puree, about three bananas

300 ml muesli

200 ml peanuts

3 tbsp cocoa powder

50 ml sugar

1. Blend the bananas into a puree in a food processor or with a blender and heat in the microwave for one minute.
2. Mix the puree with peanuts, muesli, and cocoa powder. Let swell for an hour or so.
3. Form cookies, place on baking paper and dry at 52°C Celsius until they are tough.