Get Buzzed: Homemade Energy Bars in Alexandria

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JOSH SHORT MANS the ovens at Buzz Bakery (901 Slaters Lane, Alexandria; 703-600-2899), but even a cupcake connoisseur such as he can handle only so much sweet stuff. "Pastry chefs sometimes tire of eating sugar all day," he admits. So, one day when he was at home watching a cooking show about healthier baked treats, he was inspired to toy around with online recipes. After some tweaking, he was chomping on his very own energy bar ($1.95, pictured above).

"I was trying to find something that's low in sugar and fat, and good for you," he says. "I wanted something to sustain you." The result is a rectangular slab of all-natural peanut butter, rolled oats, agave nectar, dark raisins, fiber-rich pepitas and dark chocolate (he uses Belcolade). If you're attempting to make similar treats at home — which Short says is simply a matter of binding the ingredients with the peanut butter, spreading in a pan and slicing — be careful the bars don't get too dry. His solution: extra chocolate. (Just think of it as more antioxidants.) The January resolution crowd couldn't get enough of the bars, and neither can Short, who grabs one for a daily snack. "It's nice to have something here to munch on that fills you up," he says. "When I eat one, I feel full and I'm not craving anything."

Written by Express contributor Amy Cavanaugh