As a food publication, we receive lots of samples. Energy bars, protein bars, and snack bars are a particular group that we’ve tasted and tasted, but find it hard to write about without spending lots of time on comparative nutrition. Health isn’t the focus of the Nibble; great-tasting food is. Hence, our Top Pick Of The Week, is great-tasting Simple Bars.

They’re less than a year old (launching August 1, 2022) and are well worth your attention.

Simple Bars are better-for-you snack bars with minimalist, healthy ingredients, starting with nuts and seeds for protein and fiber.

Founder Amanda Ament created the line because she “was amazed by the fact that I could not find a single sugar-free snack bar. Not one.

“I realized I could not possibly be the only one searching, so I decided to make my bars available to others.”

She worked with a food scientist to perfect the recipe and founded The Simple Company. Check out the photos of her journey to making delicious, sugar-free snack bars.

The bars contain:

 
 
FOUR DELICIOUS FLAVORS

Flavors include:

 
Each ingredient in each flavor has its own special natural properties that work together to create a unique, flavorful experience.⁣

Each 35g bar has 160 calories, 5g to 6g protein, and 7g to 8g dietary fiber.

We find them refreshing as a snack or as dessert, with a cup of coffee.
 
 
GET YOUR SIMPLE BARS

Head to SimpleBars.com.

All flavors are delicious, so we recommend the Variety Pack.

You may wish to get some for friends and family who are steering clear of Easter confections. Simple Bars are pretty much guilt-free, and the wrapper colors (photos #2 and #4) are just right for a pastel holiday.

[1] Simple Bars in four flavors: Almond & Dragonfruit, Chocolate Sea Salt, Almond Marcha & Chia, Walnut & Golden Spicess (photo © The Nibble).

[2] Go nuts with this protein-packed, all-natural snack bar (photos #2, #3, and #4 © Simple Bars).

[3] Beyond different nuts and seeds, each flavor has something special. Here, almond and chia are enhanced with matcha tea powder.

Energy bars and protein bars have become increasingly popular in recent years as a convenient and portable snack or meal replacement option for people on the go.

First, the difference between the two:

 
The history of energy bars and protein bars dates back decades.

 
Energy bars and protein bars began to trend in the 1990s. Balance Bar, MET-Rx, and ProBar Meal Bars debuted, marketed towards athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts.

But the natural foods movement and the increase in gym memberships engendered a wide variety of flavors and formulations and became popular snacks for busy people who wanted a convenient snack or meal replacement option for people who are busy or active and want something more nutritious than a Snickers bar.

They were soon joined by snack bars: not necessarily energy- or protein-focused, but better-for-you snacks. Brands proliferated, including Bobo’s Oat Bars, Lara Bars, Kind Bars, and Luna Bars, among numerous others.

Today there are bars to accommodate any food plan: gluten-free, keto, nut-free, vegan, etc. And thanks to Simple Bars, you can find a sugar-free snack bar, too!
 
 
________________
 
*The Chocolate & Sea Salt flavor has dark chocolate, and other flavors have allulose, a naturally occurring sugar that naturally occurs in fruits like figs and raisins. It’s about 70% as sweet as sugar and has virtually no calories. The bars contain just enough to provide a hint of sweetness. Here’s more about it.
 
 

[4] Simply delicious.

[1] Just wash and eat for a delicious snack or dessert (photo © Gelson’s Market).

[2] Strawberry milk. The recipe is below (photo © Bluebird Chelsea | London).

[3] Strawberry Rosé Ice Pops Recipe. The recipe is above (photo © California Strawberry Council).

[4] Frozen Strawberry Margarita. The recipe is above (photo © Discover California Wine).

February 27th is National Strawberry Day. As we were deciding which of our favorite strawberry recipes to feature, we thought: Why not present all of them?

Check them out, below.

May is National Strawberry Month.

> The history of strawberries.
 
 
STRAWBERRY RECIPES

 
 
STRAWBERRY TRIVIA

Here’s another recipe for National Pistachio Day 2023: a cumin-spiced pistachio pesto recipe that is delicious on:

 
> Check out these additional pistachio recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

> The history of pistachio nuts.
 
 
RECIPE: CUMIN-SPICED PISTACHIO PESTO RECIPE

This recipe adds a Middle Eastern spin to pesto, from the pistachio nuts to the cumin (see more about cumin below). Unlike Italian pesto, this recipe has no cheese; the recipe is vegan.

The recipe makes enough for 2-3 pounds of chicken or fish. Prep time is 15 minutes.

Thanks to Pereg Gourmet for the recipe.
 
Ingredients For 1 Cup

 
Preparation

1. ADD the pistachios to a food processor and pulse at high speed. Add the lime zest and juice and process at high speed.

2. ADD the rest of the ingredients. For the parsley, twist the bunch with your hands, separating the leaves and small stems from the long bottom stems. Discard the bottoms.

3. MIX on low speed or pulse, stopping to push down the mixture. Once all the ingredients are incorporated…

4. BLEND at high speed until a uniform puréed consistency is achieved. This should take around 15-30 seconds. For a smoother texture, blend for up to 1 minute.

5. TASTE and just the seasoning accordingly, adding more salt or lime juice as desired. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
 
 
For Salmon Or White Fish (Cod, Flounder, Tilapia) With Pistachio Pesto

1. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F. On a parchment-lined tray, place the salmon, skin-side down, and pat dry. Spread the pesto generously over the fish. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes (baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish.)
 
 
For Eggs With Pistachio Pesto

If you’d like some heat, blend 1/2 a jalapeño chile into the pesto mix and drizzle on scrambled eggs.

For a refreshing take on sunnyside-up eggs, add the pesto to the hot skillet before adding the eggs.
 
 
WHAT IS CUMIN

Cumin is the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, a member of the parsley family (Apiaceae). It originated in the Iranian plateau.

Cumin seeds are easily confused visually with caraway seeds, another spice in the parsley family. Many Slavic and Uralic languages refer to cumin as “Roman caraway” or “spice caraway.” The distantly related Bunium persicum and Bunium bulbocastanum and the unrelated Nigella sativa are both sometimes called black cumin [source].

[1] Pistachio pesto on casarecce pasta. Here’s the recipe for this delicious pasta dish (photo © Love & Olive Oil | DeLallo).

[2] Pistachio pesto on toast (photo by Shana Maikhor | Rule Of Plum).

[3] Whole and ground cumin seeds. You’ll need ground cumin for this recipe (photos #3 and #4 © The Spice Lab).

[4] Middle Eastern lamb stew, seasoned with cumin.

Cumin was a significant spice for the Minoans in ancient Crete. The ancient Greeks kept cumin at the dining table in its own container (much as pepper is frequently kept today), a practice that continues in Morocco.

Cumin was also used heavily in ancient Roman cuisine and in India.

Cumin was introduced to the Americas by Spanish and Portuguese colonists. And some spice trivia: Cumin is often used as part of bird food mixes [source].

According to McCormick, cumin is one of the top 10 spices sold in the U.S. In fact, cumin is the second-most-sold spice in the world, just behind black pepper [source].
 
Ways To Use Cumin

Cumin has a distinctive flavor and aroma: earthy, nutty, piquant, tangy, and warming.

 
Use ground cumin in:

 
This week we tossed some into a shrimp boil, along with cloves. The flavor and aroma were a delight!
 
 

[1] A very pistachio quick bread (photo © Taste Of Home).

[2] Sour cream provides richness and moisture (photo © Yelena Emchuk | Panther Media).

[3] Cinnamon sugar provides the ribbon inside the quick bread (photo © King Arthur Baking).

[] Banana bread, this one with a topping of pecans and halved bananas (photo © Leigh Skomal | Unsplash).

[5] Zucchini bread, another sweet quick bread (photo © Betty Crocker).

[6] Then why is pound cake, also baked in a loaf can, called a “cake?” The answer may lie in its history (photo © Wholesome Junk Food Cookbook).

This recipe was created by Judy Fischer of Green Bay, Wisconsin, who notes, “I love making many of these special loaves to give away for the holidays. They also freeze well so it is easy to pull out for unexpected guests.”

But there’s no reason to save this recipe for the holidays. It’s delicious for breakfast or dessert any time of the year.

The recipe makes two loaves: one to eat, one to give away or freeze for later.

And it’s so easy:

 
> Check out these pistachio recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

> The history of pistachio nuts.
 
 
RECIPE: PISTACHIO QUICK BREAD

 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the cake and dry pudding mixes. Add the eggs, sour cream, water, and oil; beat until blended (the batter will be thick).

2. COMBINE the sugar and cinnamon. Spoon half of the batter into 2 greased 8″ x 4″ loaf pans. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar. Spread with the remaining batter; sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.

3. BAKE until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
 
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN QUICK BREAD & LOAF CAKE

When you look at a loaf cake that’s called a “bread”—banana bread or zucchini bread, for example—you may wonder why they are not called cake, like the carrot cake and pound cake made in the same loaf pan.

Much of the explanation in this example lies in tradition—who called it what in published recipes (e.g., why is a conventional layer cake called a Boston Cream Pie).

If we were able to change the system, we’d call sweet quick breads “loaf cakes” and leave “quick bread” to refer to the savory items that fall into the quick bread category: beer bread, biscuits, cornbread, muffins, pancakes, scones, and soda bread.

Sweet quick breads/loaf cakes and cakes begin with the same ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, milk (or other liquid binder), and some form of fat.

The difference between the three is the proportion of ingredients used.

 
Let’s look closer at sweet quick breads (i.e., loaf cakes).

 
 
How about the difference between conventional bread and quick bread?

The difference between bread and quick bread is that bread is leavened using yeast.

Quick breads and cakes are leavened using baking soda and/or baking powder.

Plus, sweet quick breads include sugar and other ingredients to create their flavor (flavorings, inclusions), while most types of bread are prepared chiefly with flour, water, and salt, plus yeast*.

What is the difference between loaf cake and bread?

 
 
________________
 
*Specialty breads, like brioche and challah, also contain eggs, butter, and for brioche, milk or cream. Sourdough bread contains sourdough starter, fruit and nut breads contain dried fruits and/or nuts, cheese breads contain cheese, beer breads contain beer, etc.

National Deviled Egg Day isn’t until November 2nd, and there’s no Bacon & Eggs Day. There are other holidays, of course:
 
 
BACON HOLIDAYS

 
 
EGG HOLIDAYS

 
But Easter is coming, and according to McCormick, nearly 2/3 of Americans—61%—plan to make and/or eat deviled eggs this Easter [source].

You can serve them as hors d’oeuvres or appetizers (see the difference below) not only for Easter, but for meals throughout the year. They’re especially popular food for parties and other gatherings.

We loved this idea from Brad Bergaus, corporate chef and director of menu 8nnovation for Taco John’s.
 
 
MAKE BACON & EGGS DEVILED EGGS

Just use your favorite deviled eggs recipe and garnish with a crispy piece of bacon.

If you don’t have a recipe, we’ve provided our Nana’s classic recipe below.

> Here’s the history of deviled eggs, and deviled eggs vs. stuffed eggs.

> While deviled eggs took off as picnic and cocktail party fare after World War II, they date back to ancient Rome.
 
 
MORE DEVILED EGG RECIPES

 
Plus:

 
 
RECIPE: CLASSIC DEVILED EGGS

Ingredients For 6 Eggs/12 Halves

 
Preparation

1. HARD-BOIL the eggs. Place the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with water to cover by 1-1/2 inches. Heat on high until the water begins to boil. Cover the pan, turn the heat to low, and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and leave covered for 14 minutes. Then, drain the hot water and rinse the eggs under cold water continuously for 1 minute. (We place the eggs in a sieve for this.)

2. PEEL the eggs. Crack the egg shells and carefully peel them under cool running water. Gently pat the peeled eggs dry with paper towels.

3. SLICE the eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks to a medium bowl, being very careful not to tear the whites. Place the whites on a plate or serving platter.

4. MASH the yolks finely with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

5. EVENLY fill the egg whites with heaping teaspoons of the yolk mixture. Garnish and serve.
 
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HORS D’OEUVRES & APPETIZERS

The difference between hors d’oeuvres and appetizers is twofold.

When Served

[1] Here’s the recipe (photo © Flavor & The Menu | Carlos Garcia).

[2] Pink deviled eggs (here’s the recipe) can be combined with green and white deviled eggs (the recipe) for Easter (photo © Andrews McNeel Publishing).

[3] For a fun Easter approach, garnish your favorite deviled egg recipe to look like chicks. Mound the egg mixture to create a head shape, use black sesame seeds for the eyes, and 2 tiny carrot triangles for each beak. Here’s a recipe (photo © Julie Blanner).

[4] How about this (photo © Heluva Good).

[5] Seared scallops with bacon and eggs (photo © Chef David Burke).

[6] Bacon Apple Pie (photo © Smithfield Foods) .

[7] A bacon and egg pizza—for breakfast or any other time. Here’s the recipe (photo © Damn Delicious).

 
 
THE HISTORY OF APÉRITIFS & HORS D’OEUVRE*

Apéritifs

 
Hors D’Oeuvre

 
________________
 
In French, the singular and plural are the same: hors d’oeuvre. In English, an “s” is added to create the plural, hors d’oeuvre.