Wannabe Recipea: Chocolate Chip Zee Bars
There are lots of things I don’t get.
Of course, that’s just a nice way of saying, here are some things I am going to complain about before I give you a recipe.
We could be here awhile.
But we won’t be, because incessant complaining is one thing I don’t get. It’s a cruel joke of fate that I could teach a master class on it, though. Such a wasted gift.
#1 Thing I Don’t Get: Sweaters for Dogs
Or rain slickers. Or any sort of outerwear. Obviously the point of Halloween costumes shaped like hot dogs, fire hydrants or bumblebees is utter humiliation. But what is the point of putting a coat on your dog? They have a thick barrier of fur covering them to keep them warm, and get this: it’s called a coat.
#2 Thing I Don’t Get: Fantasy Sports Teams
Now correct me if I’m wrong, but unless we are in ancient Rome and if you lose the athletic contest in which you are engaged you will have your every limb ripped from your body, isn’t every sport a fantasy?
By having fantasy teams in each sport in existence, Pea Daddy is challenging my patience. It is so very hard for me to pretend I care about the outcome of the actual teams playing, but now I have to muster up some enthusiasm for a completely made-up combination of players on a team that does not even exist? I’ll tell you what I’d get excited about. Using that $50 fantasy team entry fee towards one of those jeans, tank, cardigan, boots, belt, earrings and scarf outfit combos that I’m constantly repinning on Pinterest but won’t ever actually go out and even buy the belt for. Now that’s a fantasy.
#3 Thing I Don’t Get: Food Marketed Specifically to Kids
Or should I say people who buy food marketed specifically to kids? Why on earth would I pay nearly the same amount for a kid-sized granola bar as I would for the adult version simply because you drizzle a little chocolate on it, stick it in a package with a kid-friendly graphic and then spell kids with a “z.” The answer is, I won’t.
See, I told you I was good at this incessant complaining thing.
Luckily I don’t just complain about problems. I solve them.
Chocolate Chip Zee Bars
Makes 10 bars
- 1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 c. oat flour (aka old-fashioned oats ground into a flour)
- 1/2 c. vanilla protein powder OR an additional 1/2 c. of oat flour
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1 T. baking powder
- 1/2 c. + 2 T. unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 c. + 2 T. non-dairy milk
- 1 t. vanilla
- 1/4 t. cinnamon
- stevia to taste*
- 1/4 c. + 3 T. chocolate chips, divided
- 1 t. coconut oil
*if you prefer not to use stevia you can substitute brown sugar to taste, I would start with 1/4 c. and work up from there, if necessary
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease or spray an 8×8 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine oats, oat flour, protein powder, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.
In a smaller bowl, combine applesauce, vanilla and milk.
Add applesauce mixture to oat mixture and stir until just combined. Add stevia to taste. Fold in 1/4 c. of chocolate chips.
Pour mixture into baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until bar is set and pulling away from edge of pan.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into kid-sized bars.
For chocolate drizzle, place 3 T. of chocolate chips in a resealable plastic bag and microwave in 30 second increments, kneading bag until chocolate has melted.
Add coconut oil to melted chocolate and knead again.
Snip a tiny corner of the bag with a pair of scissors. Pipe chocolate across cooled bars and stick bars in fridge or freezer to allow chocolate to set, if desired.
Store remaining bars in the fridge.
I don’t get why homemade bars taste so much better than store-bought.
Unless you are Gigi, who said these were too “marshmallowy.” Note that there are no marshmallows in the recipe. Also note that “marshmallowy” is complaint.
What kid doesn’t like marshmallows? You might as well put a Labrador in a Seahawks parka and name him your starting quarterback for all the sense that makes.
These bars are a million times cheaper and better for you too.
You know who loves ‘em? My 35 year-old husband.
Silly Pea Daddy, Zee Bars or for kids. Er, kidz.
That’ll be $50, please.
These look great. Can’t wait to give them a try!
My husband also giggled when I read him the snip it about fantasy teams! Lol
He must have at least one fantasy team
I spy something tasty I’m making this weekend.
No kidz, or kids, in the house either , unless 43-year-old me counts
Hope you love ‘em!
Oh that drizzle of chocolate on an adult sized bar is perfection! UGH, the fantasy teams. Seriously, I just don’t get that. Although I’m sure those people don’t get blogging either. Complain on my friend! You have some great points. I don’t get the dog sweaters either, but if I was a short hair dog and had to go out in freezing temps to pee, then I would appreciate the sweater.
I guess I would only understand if I had a dog. Lulu will see that that happens.
I live in Edmonton, Alberta. When its colder than -10 C (14 F) the dog sometimes needs a sweater for walks. I definitely don’t understand the tutus and what not. Those just make me angry. In other news, I’m super excited to try these bars I’m always looking for snacks recipes I can pack and go.
YAY!!!! My kids love those chocolate chip z-bars but I hardly ever shell out money for them! These will be a great addition to the lunch box. Bonus: I have all these ingredients! Making these tomorrow for sure. Or tonight for tomorrow’s lunch boxes!
Thank you for posting nutrition facts for all your recipes, by the way.
I hope your kids like them as much as the real thing!
looks yummy!
When I head off to buy roasted corn (for that other recipea), I need to go get some coconut oil!
It really is a nice thing to just have in your pantry. You’ll use it, promise!
Wow these look perfect! I love the perfectly applied chocolate and as a random aside, in one of the photography workshops I attended last year, we were trying to take action shots of people’s hands, i.e. knife skills, chopping, squeezing, etc…and I love that shot of you squeezing the ziplock baggie. I can almost feel the choc-splosion from here
These look….delish!
Clothing for dogs? My neighborhood’s dogs are much more fabulously dressed than I am !
Well, thank you!
this post is hilarious, i’m still laughing! and i’m sure these are way better than the store bought version.
Thanks. I try.
I will be making these tomorrow. I might even get up before the boys and make them for breakfast, becasue I haven’t fixed them a good breakfast all week…..:( What kind/brand of stevia do you use? And how much do you recommend starting with?
Every brand is different so it’s hard to give you amounts. Even different products within the same brand have varying degrees of sweetness. I use Trader Joe’s brand or NuNaturals. Both are excellent. If you are using packets, I’d recommend starting out with 2 or 3.
I’ve missed reading your blog on vacation. Even though I’m still away it feels good to be taking time to read it! These bars look amazing. I hope you had a very happy New Year! Just a side note about sweaters for dogs, some really need them! I have two cockapoos and they are so little they shiver when its cold. Bailey is stocky and has curly hair that’s really close to her body so she does better in the cold but Andy is tiny and has hair that’s fluffier and lighter and he gets so cold in the winter we oftentimes have to wrap him in a blanket when he’s inside the house. Vets actually recommend coats for dogs in witner if you live in a climate that has a true winter season.
Thanks for the insight. I’m moving to Arizona and getting a short-haired dog.
Ummm, I will be making these pronto! Okay, I don’t like “clothes” for dogs, but I can understand “jackets” for dogs. Except for dogs with long coats. That makes no sense. Also, raincoats make no sense. My dad just gave us a coat for Dakota, that was our dog’s coat years back. She’ll wear it on walks, only, and only if it’s really cold! I don’t understand Fantasy Football either and there is actually a TV show about this group of friends that have fantasy teams. At first I thought it was dumb, but now I love the show. Still not sure about fantasy teams though… And I LOVE the kids Clif Z bars, haha, so I cannot wait to make these!
Hope you like em, girl! Talk to you tomorrow!
gorgeous. perfect. stellar. brilliant
Heck yeah…that’s my kind of problem solving.
Also, I saw a dog in a down vest today and laughed so hard that the owner gave me a glare. To be fair, it was a really teensy dog with almost no hair. But still.
A vest? Because his doggy arms/legs were hot and his torso was freezing?
Love this post…will have to try the bars!
But…you left out the worst part of the fantasy teams: rushing home at the last minute before the games begin so they can make sure all their picks are not injured! We always have to run home ASAP after church during football season so my husband can make his last minute picks!!
Oh for Pete’s sake. Pea Daddy hasn’t admitted to that yet!
My hubby used to make me bring my computer to church so he could use the wifi at outside a local college ON THE WAY HOME to put in his injured reserves. Now he just brings his blackberry to church and periodically “uses the restroom” during the service.
No. Way. He’s going to hell.
(Sheila is my wife…the best and most beautiful sports widow out there!)
In my defense, I never actually changed my lineups *during* the service.
However, I plead the Fifth about whether or not I’ve wondered, “Hmm, I wonder if (insert player here) is going to play this week?” during the service. =P
And I plead guilty as charged to stopping on the way home. We used to leave right after the service was over at times. But now that we live 5 minutes from church and have both a BlackBerry and a DVR, we can take our time getting home to watch the Browns!
I’ve used my Bible App during service and I think Pea D has realized that that would be a nice cover for making lineup changes.
God help you both.
These look delicious! I’ll have to try them soon.
Also: I LOVED your post on 25 dinners from 5 recipes. So eye-opening for me. Thank you!
You are welcome!
My dog hates her sweater, but my mother in law likes it so when she comes over, pup takes one for the team!
I can’t wait to try these bars!!!
You are a good daughter-in-law.
Thank goodness my hubs isn’t into fantasy football!!! I can think of 50 different ways to spend that $50 and the word “fantasy” doesn’t start any of them!!
Oh… And I know what we’ll be making this weekend for the girlz. (did you see what I just did there!?)
Well played, sister, well played.
How do you feel about sweaters for cats?
I had a Persian cat who had to be shaved down because he kept getting knots and my grandmother knitted a sweater for him. It was pretty hilarious and he hated it! I could only leave it on him for a minute at a time but I do have a picture of him in it.
Thanks for the recipea and the nutritional info! They look great!
Oh my.
Everything is better with a drizzle of chocolate. Even a green drink. I better try that.
I don’t get the other things either but I do get sweaters and coats for dogs who have a thin coat and you can see their bare naked skin (and nipples) on their underside and they shake like crazy in the wind. or when the house gets too cold–we don’t turn up the heat, we put on a sweater, including the dog. and they want to look stylish.
I’d never subject a normal-coated dog to a sweater, but some idiots decided to breed a dog that has a thin coat. hope that helps you out there.
Gotcha. That TOTALLY clears things up.
Thank you for making this recipe Mama Pea! I have been looking everywhere for a bar similar to the z-bar and have had no such luck. Can’t wait to make this over the weekend!
Could I swap apples for chocolate chips to make the apple version? I was totally guilty of buying those (for myself!) before they discontinued the flavor (and made me very sad).
I put a coat on my Chiweenie… She shivers pathetically and won’t walk if I don’t!
Oh my, what is a Chiweenie? Half chihuahua/half wiener dog?
Yup. Small, low to the ground, and very short hair. Very precious though.
Yes. What is a Chiweenie?! It sounds cute!
too bad encouragement has nothing to do with the outcome of Fantasy sports teams, cuz if Pea Daddy’s team actually WON, heck sister, you could have the whole freakin’ Pinterest ensemble!!! the prize $ can be intense. this is coming from a girl that thinks that hockey is played with backgammon sticks, or wands, or mallets. so really, i know nothing about sports. i do know that’d one of those stinkin’ bars sounds soooooo incredible right now! basically your blog is an instant pregnancy craving inducer. i don’t wanna have to stop reading recipe posts from now until July. guess i’d better stock the pantry and start reading earlier in the evening. mwah!
I should just send you all my leftovers. Please move in.
Hooray for recipes that use items I already have! I will be making these tomorrow!
LOVE when you post the nutritional stats, as I am lazy and don’t like to figure it out myself.
What the heck is a Z bar?
http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_clif_kid_zbar/
I reckon most dogs wearing ‘doggie-clothes,’ look really embarrassed about it… especially when they are at the dog park around other dogs.
Totally agree with you on the ‘kids’ packaging…. the jokes on you (or your wallet) if you buy into that kinda marketing – love the look of these bars!
I’ll have Gigi’s! Marshmallowy without actual marshmallows would suit me just fine.
I’m with you on the list of things you don’t understand. Fortunately you solved the most important one, so I’ll let fantasy sport teams and dog clothes slide
“It is so very hard for me to pretend I care about the outcome of the actual teams playing, but now I have to muster up some enthusiasm for a completely made-up combination of players on a team that does not even exist? I’ll tell you what I’d get excited about. Using that $50 fantasy team entry fee towards one of those jeans, tank, cardigan, boots, belt, earrings and scarf outfit combos that I’m constantly repinning on Pinterest but won’t ever actually go out and even buy the belt for. Now that’s a fantasy.”
^^STORY OF MY LIFE!!! Also, what’s a better sub for coconut oil – another type of oil/fat, or coconut extract?
You could try adding a bit of canola oil or just omitting it, it will just be thicker. Not that thick chocolate is a bad thing…
I just wanted to let you know that your Almond Joy bars are always on hand at my house. As soon as my hubby and I finish off one batch, I bake another, wrap ‘em up and stick them in the freezer. SO so good. Whenever I pull out my Peas and Thank You cookbook, it falls open to that page. Hmmm, maybe a good new years res would be that my P&TY cookbook falls open to the “Hugh Jass Salad” page instead.
Keep it up, Mama Pea. Your blog is always my favorite!
Love it! And I love my Hugh Jass too.
I’m totally making these since I LOVE Zbars by clif. But now that I’ve banned chocolate for that week…having those isn’t very easy. I’ll just sub some dried cherries or cranberries!
I’m so glad Aubrey isn’t that into regular sports, let alone fantasy teams. Just reading about it confused the heck out of me. The point? Oh right, there is no point! Except that these bars look absolutely delicious.
Wow… I’m super impressed with the lower calories of these babies!
As all your recipes – these sound incredible!!
dog clothes are beyond me…i like to think that our dogs are real outdoorsy dogs, dogs that don’t mind a little mud and rain, and that have hardy coats to keep them warm.
although ever since we got Keira and she became our little princess i’ve been eyeing some cutesy pink sweaters. just don’t tell…
So happy that you did this! I tire of spending cash money on package goods too!
Mama Pea, can’t you be my mom? You have one lucky family
These look amazing. Perfect for when I go back to school and sit through a five hour class. Bleh. If you can come up with a recipe for the Mojo bar (my favorite) or the Kind bar (when I’m feeling healthy) I will love you forever. I will come to your house and wave palm fronds in your general direction while playing dress up with Lulu and Gigi. With all the money you’d be saving me I would be able to pay for the flight.
There are two versions of the Kind bar on this site! (search “kind” on the recipe page) I’ll get cracking on those Mojos. You are right, they taste awesome.
That’s what I getting for commenting from my phone. Searching for a recipe becomes too challenging.
“Zee” bars? hehe
Totally named after you.
(yeah, that’s it)
Not gonna lie, you never cease to amaze. Love your blog, so man good tricks. Thanks for doing all of the hard work for all of us mamas out here!
Thank you, Megan!
Come to Japan to see true pointless dog fashion! I was in a Petland (the horribly depressing Japanese equivalent to PetsMart, complete with cage pacing monkey) last week and saw TWO dogs in the male style kimono, complete with pants and jackets!
I’ve also seen coats on Corgis and Shelties…dogs with massive amounts of natural fur designed for cold, damp weather. In Petland, half of the store was full of puppies, kittens, birds, turtles, squirrels, rats, a pig, the bored senseless monkey and some various other rodents and things I couldn’t identify. The other half was clothing. Craziness!
Lookz like a perfect snack for kidz of all agez!
yay! my middle name is zee so, naturally, i love this recipe. i wish they had more fiber, but that’s not gonna stop me from PINNING THEM!
These sound great! What’s worse than an adult who buys kid-themed food for herself? (me) I’m a sucker for Z’s and bunnies and bite-size anything, what can I say? Hehe Although, I stopped buying all Clif products after I began to avoid soy protein isolate. The Z bar doesn’t contain it last I checked, but guilty by association I guess, lol. Yes, I would make a super awesome supreme court justice, can’t ya tell?
Z Bars are one of the few packaged items I buy on occasion as a treat for my kids. I am excited to give this recipe a try!
(I am totally with you on fantasy football. Don’t guys already have enough fantasies as it is? Do they really need one about football? And then bet on it? Weird.)
Hi! I love this. I was wondering, what kind of protein powder do you use? I just picked up TJ’s vanilla hemp powder because I couldn’t find soy. Where do you get yours? Will hemp work?
Hmm…hemp is okay for some things but I would never use it for baking. I use rice and/or pea protein. You can order it online from truenutrition.com or you can find some varieties at Whole Foods as well.
Whoot whoot…that was fast! Making these for the boys this weekend and as usual I am sure they will be a favourite! So great they are nut free…these are going in their lunch Monday for back to school. Thank you and as my boys would say “Mama Pea is sick”
Thank goodness I’m not sick
hahah…that is a super compliment coming from those boys. Have a great day!
I’ve bought Z’s for two 30 something kids before. Can’t wait to try these to save some $$.
I’m with you on Fantasy Football, Baseball, etc. Isn’t the real thing enough?
Pinned it!! I WILL be making these!! (Unlike some of the other 49 recipes that I have pinned that will probably never happen ;o))
Yum!!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Ive been trying to figure out fantasy sports teams for some time now.. STILL dont get it.
Wow – I’m not much of a granola bar type person but the numbers on these are excellent. I’m totally making these to take to work as a snack. Thanks!!!!
And, those Pinterest outfits get me every time too.
Oh yum!!
Oh and my two pit bulls wear sweaters when we go on walks in the winter:):) If they have long fur then its pointless but short hair dogs love the extra warmth:):):)
This is awesome. I am currently on a mission to make lots of lunch box treats to freeze and stockpile so I don’t have to buy those silly things anymore. I made the clif type bars from your book this week.
Cheaper and better? They even look tastier.
I felt the same way about dog outerwear until I adopted my greyhound Trixie. She really does shiver when the temperature drops below about 40!
But it’s all about the practical necessity then. (I made her a fleece jacket…and sometimes she wears one of my t-shirts…except her chest is bigger than mine..:D)
Awww, greyhounds are such beautiful dogs! She deserves a coat
The only reason I ever buy kid-sized stuff is because of the size. My daughter eats like a bird so if I would buy a whole granola bar for her she’d take two bites and be done with it. They may be more expensive but they are less wasteful in our house. This recipe however fixes that! I can cut whatever size I want
If we every buy full size bars, I just cut them in half and save the other half in a baggie. So much cheaper!
i can’t complain enough about fantasy sports…but i will say my fiance won $800 this year ($100 entry fee), and $1,000 last year (no entry fee), so I enjoy that. yummy looking bars, and love the protein stats. I will be making these, so I can fuel my fantasy sports crazed fiance to win more money!
Girl, you need to go shopping.
yay! thanks for posting!
I love thoze z-bars!!! So excited to make these!!
Any recommendations for a baby’s first birthday cake- somewhat healthy??!!!
Have you made the carrot cake from the book? That’s my absolute favorite!
The party is not til next week, but I might have to “test” it today! It will give me an excuse to use the new cuisinart. Just saw the mango cupcakes, maybe I will try those out as well!!!
We “try” to go lower sugar around here, do you think I could cut back a bit on the sugar and still get a pretty good taste?
Thanks!!!!
Yes, for sure with both recipes! Good luck!
I love their Z bars! I eat them allll the time (i dont have kids) – I only buy them when I can get 20 for $6 or something at Target though. I am definitely excited to make these!
I can’t wait to make these!!! I have a sweater for my dog, she has long hair but we cut it short every few months. When we cut it, she shivers from being cold, so she gets to wear a sweater when we go for a walk. I would agree and say they are silly, but I live in eastern Canada and it’s cold here in the winter!!!
I feel really bad about complaining about the coat thing now
Oh don’t feel bad, Hollywood has made putting sweaters on dogs a big thing…so it’s often done for fashion which I think is dumb!!! It’s like putting dogs in purses, what dog wants to be in a purse!
Ahh I totally get you on all 3 of those things!! When I was in Italy over Christmas, it seemed like EVERYONE had clothes for their dogs, even the ones that had plenty of fur. I don’t understand the point either… why wouldn’t you just save that money and spend it on more important things, like clothes for yourself??
Yes- I’m SO excited for these bars!! Another Clif wannabe- Yeah! Of course, I have yet to make the last one you posted, even though it was on my to-do list over winter break. I need a snow day… that’s like, the only time I bake.
My dogs are too big for sweaters, and they would rip them off anyway.
My husband is obsessed with his fantasy football team (which is over now, thank god)- it’s just something I try to not get annoyed by each year. But, last year he won a bunch of money- so that was nice!
And as for food marketed towards kids, it bugs the crap out of me! Especially the “kids” menus at restaurants. They should just replace the word “kids” with “unhealthy!”
Oh- and I don’t have any kids- and have gone through several boxes of the Z bars in the past. I love them!
Z bars are at least edible. I want to cry when I see those frozen dinners for kids that they try and pass of as food.
LOVING the nutritional stats on these!
THANK YOU Mama Pea!!! I am so excited to make these for the kids’ early morning car rides – and the recipe comes on shopping day no less! I already have Tempeh Tamale Pie and Chickpea Taco Pizza on next week’s menu and now these…. it’s gonna be a Mama Pea week. Just the other day my 4 year old son told me that “some people go out hunting and then eat the animals that they kill and that isn’t nice.” My heart sank as we went home to turkey tacos
. Slowly but surely we are making our way over! Thank you for inspiring and helping me!
Let me know what your kiddos think of everything!
Can I reach through the screen and hug you? I have been needing a recipe like this for my kids. I was just going to experiment and try to come up with something like this today! So thanks for helping me, I’m sure they will love these, me too! Also like that they are school friendly with no nuts. The more new lunch box ideas, the better.
Have a great day!
Hope your kiddos love them! You have a great day too!
Sigh. I used to think we were soulmates, but then you said you didn’t “get” coats for dogs!! The way I see it, if I feed, bathe, brush and clean up after this animal who lives in my house, not to mention give them a comfortable, warm bed to sleep in every night without asking for a single thing in return (but if my pets would like to get a job, I’m not complaining), the LEAST they can do is wear a bright yellow raincoat and hat for my amusement.
I mean, it’s the least they can do. At least when you have kids, you know that the big payoff is that one day they will have to take care of you when you can’t do it anymore. A dog just dies before you and brings you heartache. So if I can slap a coat on him and take a million photos for my own pleasure, the way I see it, he kind of owes me that.
Ha ha ha….I guess I’m like one of those people that complains about kids because they don’t have any and then once they do they turn to complete mush. I’m sure my dog will have a complete wardrobe.
We can still be soulmates.
Well, if you ever get a chihuahua or a short haired small breed dog, you’ll understand about the doggie coats. We live in Buffalo. Our chihuahua starts shivering at 50 degrees. (and that’s October/November!) Add in a Buffalo winter where the lows can get to negative digits. That’s why our dog wears a coat.
Once I get a dog, I’m sure my opinion on all these things will change. Well, not the fantasy sports thing.
These look great! Do you use the unrefined or the refined coconut oil? I prefer unrefined, but some people prefer the refined.
Just got to the dessert section of your book. I think every page in the book so far is bookmarked — it probably would have been easier to mark the ones I don’t plan to make right away! Love it all!
BTW: We did get a coat for one of our dogs last winter as she was old and was no longer tolerating the cold very well. She loved that coat. We found out she had cancer in late August and lost her 4 weeks later, so her cold intolerance was probably an indicator that cancer was growing. So, while I don’t normally condone coats or outfits for dogs, sometimes they are justified.
Oh gosh, I don’t even know what kind of coconut oil I use.
I’m so sorry about your dog. That was very sweet that you gave her a coat. <3
The dog thing– for small short-haired dogs, it really is necessary. We have a rat terrier, and his belly is basically just skin– no hair at all. So, when we lived in PA and he had to go out into 20 degree weather, you bet your freezing butt he was wearing a sweater!!!
Of course, it’s also just cute to see a dog in a sweater
You guys just need to move to Hawaii, that’s all.
Well, obviously. Can you talk to my husband? You know, there actually was an English professor job posted at the University of Hawaii last year– despite my numerous references to Saved By the Bell: Hawaiian Style, he didn’t apply.
I’m shamefully raising my hand. I buy those Z bars. Totally out of convenience (aka laziness). Maybe not now that I have this cool recipe!!
No shame. I’m here to help!
My stepson has an English Bulldog who he dresses in a pink velour hoodie (his girlfriend bought it, but still). She looks ridiculous of course, but it gets attention and that’s what he’s all about. I’m going to make these bars. It really makes no sense for any of us to pay $1+ per bar when they are so easy to make at home.
No way! That actually is awesome.
HA! That was awesome! And I’m going to pretend zee bars are for 24 year old kidz…
Hahaha, I tend to think that dressing your dog up in a little coat is sometimes ok if it is really cold out and the dog is really tiny. I have seen many a little dog shaking with cold up here in the North!! But you are right, most of the time their built in coat will suffice. To bad about the “marshmallow-t” ness of these bars… haha yout Kidz are Klassic!
I saw this picture and all I could think was “those look like Clif Z bars…but way way better!”
Also, as for #3 – OBVIOUSLY you’d pay more for that because the box is shiny/colorful/has cartoons on it!
Haha. I’m with you on that one…makes NO sense.
I understand your disbelief that dogs need sweaters, but there are so many breeds that people have that aren’t supposed to live in cold temperatures, and their natural coat isn’t enough. (And no, I do not condone hairless dogs or hairless cats…that’s just gross.) They DO look a little ridiculous, but when a dog is shivering in the cold, I would say give it a jacket!
So, guessing your not a dog owner hence #1, sweaters for dogs. I will agree with you on #2 and #3…just part of life. Its also like going to a fast food place and ordering a kids meal, cuz a regular size is to much for you, but they refuse to sell it to you since you don’t have a kid tagging along. Same goes for the ice cream shop, had this really great peppermint ice cream with the peppermint in fun shapes. That was refused to be sold to me also, “I’m not a kid”? Really, I feel like a kid half the time. Sometimes its cruel being an adult.
Those nutrition stats are amazing!
It’s obvious that you don’t have a dog yet. Once you do, trust me, you’ll “get” dog sweaters and rain slickers.
At least, if you get a cute little doggie that will otherwise get cold in the rain and snow.
Trust me, I know from where I speak. Woof. You can check out my blog: http://frito-a-day.blogspot.com/
What? Doesn’t everyone’s dog have their own blog?
Keep those great stories coming.
Frito
Hmmm…. did you happen to see the snack section of Ave’s menu? Yup. Z bars! I can easily add two ee’s to that Z;)
Nice!
PS Gigi is SOOOOO excited.
I admire that your oats container is the same size as your chocolate chips container.
But of course!
In re: #1: If your dog lives inside and has a short hair coat, it is likely that when you try to take him outside in the dead of winter for bizness, he will lay down in the snow and refuse to move until you buy him a fleece jacket. Ask my parents’ beagle. Good times. Granted, out here on the west coast and/or when the temperature is above freezing, I don’t get it either.
In re: #3: I overpay for granola bars marketed to kids because they have less calories than the regular Clif bars. And because you hadn’t posted a recipe yet, duh.
When dogs live outside all the time they develop a layer of subcutaneous fat which helps to protect them from the cold. When they live inside though, they don’t get this in winter, so they can get cold. Body type of the breed also plays a factor in whether they get cold, not just coat thickness. We have a rottie mix who doesn’t ever shiver, but when the weather drops below around 18 degrees, we found we couldn’t get her to go on more than a 3 minute walk without the coat on.
You are right, fantasy football is the craziest thing! My tow oldest boys are into it and I have seen them turn against their favorite teams just because one of their players is on the other team. Or, even better, hope their favorite teams running back doesn’t make 1st down so that they fantasy kicker can try for a field goal and earn them points. It totally ruins the game! Nuts…but you have girls. Don’t you want to try for a boy???
I’m totally with you on the doggie coats. Just another way to spend money on something that’s not one of those cute outfits on Pinterest. Maybe there should be coordinating outfits for dogs on there, too.
mmm..I am sitting on a flight right now to SF and I could definitely go for one of those now! YUMMY!
um couldn’t agree more about the fantasy times. SO annoying!
It seems as though many commenters own small dogs that own sweaters
I was wondering – is it safe to microwave in plastic bags? Plastic + microwaves always make me nervous.
The bars look verrry tasty
I know…it worries me a bit too. You can always melt the chocolate before hand and then put it in the bag.
Those stats are FANTASTIC, can’t wait to try these post-cleanse
. Always looking for ways to sneak protein in there!
These look great!
I am right there with you on all three things, completely unexplainable to me. I didn’t know what Zee bars where until number three but then it hit me. So stupid! For kids or not, you sold me on these bars and I can keep my $50.
These look great and I can’t lie I love the Cliff Z ones, but the idea of making these with my boys? Even better!
Thank you so much!! I am so excited to try these! I buy the cliff kidz bars all the time for myself. (I buy the box of 6, not separate bars) but it will be much cheaper to make them. They are really a perfect before-workout treat to get myself energized w/o too many calories like the adult cliff bars.
Yum! These look great. I’m looking for more kid-friendly food for my somewhat picky 1 year old
These look delicious! The coat thing I get with most dogs…I’m looking to get a French Bulldog and they are very sensitive to heat and cold so they actually do need a sweater outside in the winter and need to live in a house that has a.c. so some dog owners might be crazy but some are just doing whats best for the pet
I plan on having fun with it when i do get my little guy/gal! Have a great weekend!
You make me laugh…I love the reference to the Trix bunny.
I used to wonder about dog sweaters, too. Until we moved to Chicago and my poor dog still needed a walk in the dead of winter. After seeing him shiver on the street corner, he got a coat. And shoes, since he’d start to hobble around with ice packed between his pads. Plus they make him slide around on the ice when he’s trying to pee which is (a) sad and (b) so funny it makes it worth it to walk him in the wee morning of a Chicago winter.
Will you lose respect for me if I told you that my Christmas card was a picture of my wife and I dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus and our two dogs were dressed as elves? I’m just kidding. That was last year. All our friends asked to be left off the list for this year. I wonder why…
Ha ha ha….you’re killing me.
I have zee bars in the oven as I type!!
This is fun Mama Pea! Z bars is the only bars I buy as my son like them. I usually buy for him to take as snack during summer soccer camp, but not much during the rest of the year as I usually make granola bars at home.
I will let you know how he likes it, and then will play around to make some chocolate brownie (I almost added cocoa powder to these ones but stayed true to your recipe) and smores flavored ones, which are his favorites!
By the way, did you really use 1 T of baking powder, it sounded like a lot to me (for an 8×8 inch pan of baked good), but I trust you since your recipes are always good!
Ana
I really did!
Ana how did these come out for you?! I know Mama Pea is still on vacation so I’d love to hear. Mine seem salty…
Hi Kait! (and Mama Pea! Aloha!!)
They turned out good, my son actually liked it a lot! I used a protein powder that was sweetened with stevia (sun warrior vanilla) and I find that it left a very bitter after taste on my mouth after eating the bars (second time I try baking something with powdered stevia and I cannot tolerate the taste). Funny though that neither my son or my husband could detect that after taste and they both enjoyed the bars.
I would guess your saltines maybe is from the baking powder? I used 2 tsp on mine actually as I was afraid of the1 full tablespoon.
Mine were a little breaking apart too, but that could maybe be error on baking time on my part. I was afraid to over bake them.
I am definitely going to try these again this week though as my son really liked them and I was happy to see him eat a good snack bar! (rather than the store bought Z ones). I will probably either use sugar or xylitol next time though.
Ana
Hi Ana,
Thanks for the response! My first thought was to blame the baking powder as well. I thought it was a tsp then I realized it was a Tbsp which is more than I’ve ever put into baked goods before (+1/2 tsp salt which, for someone who doesn’t use salt practically ever, is a lot)!
I used raising instead of chocolate chips and no chocolate drizzle (I wanted a hearty breakfast snack to go along with my green smoothie) but I don’t think tha twould make much of a difference. And I did add a little less than a 1/4c brown sugar…
I’d love to know how your second batch turns out. I will eat these (smothered in almond butter) but am always hesitant to bake something a second time if its the taste that is off (I’m known for under/overbaking but the batter is always delish).
Thanks again! Kait
You are so welcome Kait, I am happy to hear about your results too!
See, I didn’t really measured the salt either, ha! I always eyeball it and add a pinch to my baked goods. I will try again sometime this week just because I liked the texture and flavor of it, and I want to see if they turn out better so I can freeze them for school snacks for my son.
I also want to play around with the batter to change up the flavors
I didn’t add the chocolate drizzle either as I wanted to freeze the bars, but did use the chocolate chips, and that was the best part, we like choc chips around here.
I will let you (and Mama Pea!) know how my second batch turns out!
Ana
Hi Ana! What’s the update?
This post has me totally LMAO, for several reasons.
Two out of your three rants I’m completely guilty of. My tiny little Rambo-dog is old and has trouble radiating his body temperature these days, and he totally has a sweater for cold winter days, though I usually just wrap him up in many blankets and he is content to stay there all day. Confession: The McCalls $2.99 sewing pattern of the week this week was dog stuff – three different sizes of dog beds, leash, harness, AND coat pattern – and I’m totally going to try my hand at sewing a custom coat for my little dude.
And Z-bars are delicious… I fall prey to the marketing and I don’t even HAVE kids. The graham flavor is my favorite, followed closely by the blueberry. Confession: Yours look a BAZILLION times better than the storebought ones.
Now as far as fantasy teams – that’s some sh*t I just don’t get.
I agree, they are sometimes silly, but my sister-in-law’s italian greyhound seriously has 0% body fat. She doesn’t need a sweater– she needs a COAT!
I’ll be honest–I had a serious Z bar addiction in college. it was my preferred running fuel…why are those chocolate brownie ones so darn good?!
Anyway, I will definitely be trying this recipe. Can’t wait!
Hello Mamapea,
LOL so true about the dog outfits… I discovered there is a *whole dog clothing store* near where I live. I do not get that.
I’ve been reading your blog for a while so I thought I’d pop by and actually leave a comment for the first time ever
Thanks for the recipea, it looks great!
Happy Friday,
Dorota
Thanks so much for saying hello! Have a nice weekend!
Happy New Year, Mama Pea!! Like always, I have enjoyed catching up on your posts
I love making homemade granola bars. Happy to have another one to add to my list. They look delicious!!
Is this a confessional? Because I feel the urge to confess that I have purchased barz, marketed to kidz, with chocolate chipz. Many timez. And I am sooo relieved that I no longer need to. Thankz Mama Pea!
Ha ha ha….love it!
My daughter has a swim meet tomorrow and I thought these would be perfect to pack for her and some team mates. Made them today and the girls “taste tested” them and loved them. Now I have to make another batch to have at home…
Oh good, you are the first to report back. Awesome!
I just made these this afternoon!! Soo yummy! My daughter is GF and it’s always nice to find new healthy snacks for her. I have to confess though…. My husband has eaten 1 and I’ve had 2… The children have had ZERO!! I’m thinking a second batch may be in my future!
By the way, I used the 1/4 brown sugar and they were plenty sweet!
Wonderful…thanks for the feedback, Traci. I’m so glad your family is enjoying them!
i normally don’t comment on blogs, but my fiance bought me your cookbook for my kinda sorta stocking stuffer (my stocking wasn’t big enough for the book haha!) because i’ve been obsessing over your blog and your recipeas for the longest time! Let me just say that when i got it… he was regretting buying me the book because i read it from front to back right away!! and by the way, i’m making these kids(z) bars PRONTO.
That’s so great!!! Thanks for reading, Sunnie, and thanks for saying hi!
I will be making these tomorrow afternoon! Every year I aim to cook and bake my way through a cook book, and after watching Forks Over Knives not just any cook book will do. I’m using your book to guide me through the year! Wish me luck! Thanks for the great recipe!
I LOVE that. Thank you Maytina. Best of luck to you in the New Year!
What kind of chocolate chips do you use? I’ve been trying to find a tasty dairy-free chocolate chip and haven’t been able to.
They don’t have to say dairy free on the front to not have any dairy in the ingredients. I use Trader Joe’s semi sweet. They are super cheap and 100% dairy free.
I made these tasty bars this moring & loved hem so much!
I loved the chcolate & coconut oil drizzling on top!
So easy to make yet so flavourfull too!
MMMMMM,..Have a great weekend!
I’m so glad they worked out great for you! Happy weekend to you too!
This post made me laugh so much! We were in London this week and I actually saw a little dog (shitzu? is that how you spell it?) in a coat with a hoodie! What is that all about it??
Love the look of these cookies and I’ll definitely give them a try. I say “no way” to over priced kid bars too!
yumm, i made these the day i go thte email, they are greattt!
Sarah, I think your ability to make “family food” that is appealing to virtually everyone — child, adult, man, woman — is precisely why your blog is so helpful and appealing to so many of us! I actually used to love Clif Z bars, and love this recipe.
Thank you, friend! Miss you!
I actually have everything to make these; success!!!
My brother plays fantasy football, last weekend they had to have a conference call because he thought some people were cheating…boggles my mind.
Hi! New to your site and these bars look awesome!!! Love the ingredients. What type of protein powder do you use for these?
Thanks!
I use a rice and pea blend that I get from True Nutrition.com, but really, any kind would work except hemp. Not the best for baking.
Haha! I only have hemp at home (because of the added nutritional benefits) and always thought I just “couldn’t add protein powder to recipes.” Never thought to try the milder rice or pea p-powders.
Thanks, again!
I’m giving these a try right now…I buy the kid ones all the time. I also noticed that cinnamon was on there twice? Can’t have enough cinnamon
but thought that might be a typo.
Oops…thanks!
Can I omit the protein powder? I don’t have any on hand…
Yup, just add extra oat flour instead!
Great. For the oat flour I assume I can just grind up oats in the magic bullet?
Oops, nevermind…just re-read the recipe!
No problem—you got it!
What kind of protein powder do you use?
Woops just saw you responded to this above. Thank!
I love how this has three times the protein of the leading brand…and it’s not highly processed. Win win! Also, complaining is fun sometimes. There, I said it. Whew.
Recipe looks great! And…I love that your chocolate chip container is as big as your oats container….priorities!!!
I adore Z bars, and can’t wait to bake your version! I started buying Z bars instead of Clif bars because they don’t contain isolated soy protein, which is no good.
Yum!
That’s good to know…I never knew that!
These look great!! I’ve been looking for some snack bar recipes that have a decent amount of protein! Just wondering… how do you calculate the nutrition facts for your recipes??
Thanks!
I use The Daily Plate: http://www.livestrong.com/myplate/
Can you use a different oil other than coconut? My boy is allergic to all nuts.
You could try using another oil for sure, and it would work fine.
Hey mama! I made these last night because I am obsessed with z bars! But they are really over priced. Anyways my only concern is mine all fell apart! I did not use coconut oil because we were out so instead I used veggie oil. Did I need to spray the pan maybe?
Yes! The first direction is to spray the pan with cooking spray or lightly grease with oil
Hopefully you’ll try again!
lol whoooops! thats why I shouldn’t bake at 11:30 at night!
I greased my pan with coconut oil and the bars did not stick, but they did fall apart (and I did wait for them to cool before cutting)
Ana
Made these with extra oat flour instead of protein powder. They turned out great! VERY similar to Z bars…nice work!
Oh good! I’m glad you approve!
Thank you so much for this recipe-making them for the second time already and I had to double the batch because they’ve disappeared so quickly!
Awesome! So happy you enjoyed them!
These look so clean and delicious! Im a huge fan of adding protein powders to baked treats. Cant wait to try the recipea!
They look so clean and delicious! I am a big fan of adding protein powders to baked treats. Cant wait to try this recipea!
These bars are absolutely delicious!! Even my parents who are not vegans enjoyed them. I will definitely be making these again very soon because I’m sure they will not last long
That’s so great to hear! Wonderful!
Mama Pea – this is so awesome.
My FAVORITE treat after dinner is a Chocolate Brownie Zbar…It’s like a healthy brownie
Do you perhaps, maybe, just-a-little-bit, pretty please you might consider doing a recipe for that in the future? I would be in chocolate heaven…
For you? Anything.
YAY! I’m doing flips! (in my head)
Hi Mama Pea,
I almost never comment on the blogs I love, but I felt compelled this time,
Had them again last night!
And for others, such as small dogs, it helps to regulate thier body temp, because they have so little fat to keep them warm. So while I would agree that most dogs living in say sunny california, dont need sweaters etc, those that have winters where it gets below 32 do need some type of additional layers when outside 
Sorry, jumping off my soap box now.
1. I LOVE ALL your recipes, chickpea tacos who knew
2. I felt the need to talk about your dog comment, what many people dont know is that almost all dogs except for a handful of specific breeds can only really handle temps above 32 degrees. Anything below that becomes to much for them. Also alot of dogs dont actually have fur, they have hair just like us, poodles, maltese, etc. So imagine going outside at with a temp of 30 outside, naked… You would need a sweater too
LOVE your blog
Hi Mama,
Just made these and they were super tasty but a little crumbly….maybe it’s my high altitude. Any tips?
Hmm…not sure. Maybe try adding 1 T. of ground flax to the mix for a binder?
Good idea, I’ll try it. They were DELICIOUS and guilt free. Thanks for this keeper of a recipe. And I love that the marshmallowy comment was a complaint.
i made these in between taking an econ exam and listening to statistics lectures…on a saturday…after working a full week. so easy and quick and better than buying snack food from the store. A perfect “recipea” for a homemade snack during the most busy of weeks!
Glad you liked them! Happy studying.
Mmmm these look so good! I’ve yet to find a good (kinda healthy) brand of vegan chocolate chips, what brand do you use?
I used Trader Joe’s semi-sweet chips. They are dairy-free and super cheap!
I know I’m super late, but I’ve been saving this recipe since the day you posted it and it’s in the oven right this second. I enjoy z bars as a snack, but I’m kind of unsure about anything with ingredients in it that I cannot pronounce (which most commercial granola-y bars have, I find) and I had all of the ingredients except apple sauce and chocolate chips. Anyway, these are smelling amazing. Hope they come out OK, cause I used regular organic milk and light brown sugar (I guess I’m alone, but I HATE the taste of Stevia!)
And yet another comment on the dog thing — my parents have an English Springer Spaniel that stays wet for HOURS (she’s really furry) if she goes out in pouring rain. So my mom finally got her a raincoat from LL Bean and it works surprisingly well to keep her from turning into a mop of muddy nasty.
Thank you so much for the recipe. I second the request for a Chocolate Brownie Z Bar. My kids eat one of them every day in their lunch boxes. We’re now in Australia, and only get them with help of friends sending them over. I’d love a recipe for one. Wonder if I could just add some cocoa power to your recipe?
I bet that would work great!
I love Choc. Chip Zbars! I have one for my mid-morning break almost every day. One of the ingredients that I love, and do not see in your recipe is Fig Paste. How would you recommend using it? Instead of the applesauce? Or what? Thanks!
I’m so glad I found this. I can’t wait to try it because I have been looking for a z bar recipe
So excited to find this recipe! My son is picky, but he LOVES Z Bars. He’d eat a box a day if I let him. Gotta find a way to make them healthier and cheaper! Thanks for posting this and for your beautiful blog. Keep up the good work!
Blessings,
Michelle in MN
You are too kind, Michelle. Thank you!
This recipe looks great and cannot wait to try them? Any ideas on replicating the Iced Oatmeal Cookie version??
Thanks!,
Darcy
This recipe looks awesome! We have tried the Clif chocolate brownie bars– could I substitute some of the ingredients in this recipe to make them? What would you suggest? Thanks!
I LOVE the Internet!!! And Google.
Can’t wait to try these for my kidz 
and stop shelling out the bucks for store-bought; not to mention sll that wasted packaging material. Thank you!