It may seem backward to kick off December with a book set in the hot Indian jungle, but let’s face it, this has been a backward year. For some reason, I just REALLY wanted to read The Jungle Book right now. And I figured, why not just read what I want, even if it’s not seasonal? After all, this is 2020, the year from the chaos dimension. Plus, I’ve already done recipes for A Christmas Carol, The Nutcracker, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Little Women, and The Polar Express. I’m kinda running low on wintery classic books (If you have any requests in that area, feel free to send them my way!).

Anyway, I’m glad I followed my whim, because The Jungle Book is pretty darn delightful. It’s got all the fun of jungle animals having crazy adventures, but it doesn’t shy away from the harsh reality of life in the wild either. There’s danger, violence, and even death, but that’s all somehow softened by the fact that we’re experiencing it through talking animals. In many ways, Kipling’s writing style reminds me of Jack London, because in every sentence you can feel the author’s awe at the beauty and power of nature.

Today’s recipe is inspired by Baloo who, to quote Kipling, “can come and go where he pleases because he eats only nuts and roots and honey.” I wanted SO MUCH to make a traveling snack for Baloo jam packed with all his favorite foods. Something easy my kids could make and eat with me (The Jungle Book is a children’s story, after all!). I also wanted it to be healthy (because, again, children), and heavily feature Indian nuts and fruits as a nod to the story’s setting.

No-bake granola bars felt like the best way to tick all the boxes. I started with a base of toasted oats and rice krispies. For nuts, I used cashews and almonds since they’re common in Indian cuisine. Macadamias sneaked into the mix too because I love them, even though they’re not exactly regionally appropriate (pistachios would be a good alternative, but unfortunately my kids won’t eat them). For fruit, I went with dates, apricots, and golden raisins—all common Indian ingredients and favorites at our house. Then I mixed it all up with some cashew butter and honey, chilled until firm, and cut it up. Done! So easy. 😀

I LOVE the flavor in these. The familiarity of oats, rice krispies, and honey is reminiscent of a traditional granola bar, but the dates, apricots, golden raisins, and cashews give it a rich, warm flavor all its own. Oddly enough, I think my favorite part is the macadamias–a savory, mild, buttery moment amidst the sweet fruit and more distinct flavors of the other nuts.

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Baloo’s Fruit and Nut Granola Bars from The Jungle Book

“…Baloo, the sleepy brown bear who teaches the wolf cubs the Law of the Jungle: old Baloo, who can come and go where he pleases because he eats only nuts and roots and honey…”

— The Jungle Book

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 2 heaping Tbsp sliced almonds
• 2 heaping Tbsp chopped macadamia nuts
• 2 Tbsp chopped cashews
• 1/2 cup rice krispies
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup cashew butter (you can use peanut butter if you want, but we have to avoid it due to an allergy so I went with cashew butter to keep the flavors consistent)
• 2 heaping Tbsp chopped dried apricots
• 2 heaping Tbsp chopped dried pitted dates
• 2 Tbsp golden raisins

Makes 8 1-inch wide granola bars

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 325°. Spread oats, almonds, macadamia nuts, and cashews onto an ungreased baking sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes until just beginning to brown, stirring once halfway through. Transfer to a large bowl with the rice krispies and stir together, reserving approximately 1 tsp each of the almonds and macadamias.
   2. Microwave the honey for 30-45 seconds until just beginning to bubble. Whisk in the cashew butter with a fork until smooth. Pour into the bowl and stir until well incorporated. Stir in the apricots, dates, and raisins, reserving approximately 1 tsp each of the apricots and dates.
   3. Transfer mixture to a 9×5-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Spread evenly in the pan with a spatula and press flat firmly. Gently press the reserved almonds, macadamias, apricots, and dates into the top. Chill uncovered for 1 hour. Transfer mix to a cutting board and slice into 1-inch wide bars while cold. Store in a single layer at room temp or covered in the refrigerator.

      

   4. Serve to a Man Cub when he returns from bravely facing a tiger!

      

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Check out my other healthy snack recipes! 🙂

Neelix’s Algae Puffs: Healthy Spinach Muffins

Tiger Stripe Popsicles

Chihiro’s Onigiri

Red Shirt Fruit Salad

Healthy Strawberry Muffins from The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars from Blueberries for Sal