We’ve tasted our share of energy bars around here and for the most part, we’re still partial to making our own or assembling a bag of our favorite dried fruit and nuts. So you can imagine our surprise when we found ourselves ordering yet another case of Jake’s Unbaked bars to replenish our personal stash. Yes, they’re raw. Gluten-free, organic, and agave sweetened too. But, at the end of the day, no matter how “healthy” something is, if it doesn’t taste good, it’s a no-go for us. Simply put, these bars are out-of-this-world.

Jake’s Unbaked bars come in three tasty flavors: the Goji Bar is studded with antioxidant rich goji berries, the chai-spiced Yogi bar, and our favorite, the Rawnola bar which we'll happily crumble into a bowl of plain or frozen yogurt. We’d even go so far as to say these babies satisfy a cookie-craving…think crunchy, sweet, coconut macaroon and you’ll have some idea of what they taste like.

We love to get to know the great people who bring us our favorite natural food products and because these bars are a borderline addiction around here, we headed straight to the source to uncover just who Jake of Jake’s Unbaked is...we ended up choosing him as our latest Tastemaker:

When and why did you start making Jake’s Unbaked products?
In 2001 I began to discover the benefits of a raw-live food diet. During this health transition I found myself unsuccessfully looking for substitutes to the common baked snacks I was used to eating. One day my pursuit lead me to a curious red berry called Goji. After discovering the many nutritional benefits the Goji Berry bestowed and how great they tasted, I began to purchase them regularly. One day, by mistake, I left some sitting in my car in the hot sun with a few nuts. When I returned later that day they had become warm and were stuck together. As soon as I tasted these clusters, a light went on in my head and the idea for the “Goji Bar” emerged.

Once I started to make Goji Bars, my raw-live foods friends kept asking me for more. Where ever I took them, they were gone in an instant. But, it wasn’t until I started to get positive comments from people who were eating a more standard American diet, that I figured I might be on to something. Plus, there was nothing similar to them already on grocery store shelves.

What makes Jake’s Unbaked products great?
For starters, all of our sweeteners are low-glycemic and unlike most other raw bars on the market that use dates, we use figs and agave nectar. Plus our bars have a wonderful crunchy texture that many people, whether they are transitioning to raw and live foods, or not, simply love.

What is your favorite Jake’s Unbaked product? What is your favorite way to enjoy it?
These days I’m enjoying our Yogi Bars the most. The chai spices we blend into these bars promote optimal digestion. One way that I love to eat them is in the Fall, when persimmons are in season and ripe enough to spread like jam. I simply top one of my bars with a thick layer of these wonderful sweet fruits. To take it to another level, I place them in the freezer before using them to make ice cream sandwiches.

What would most surprise people about Jake’s Unbaked products?
Despite the name of our company, I am constantly reminding people that our products involve no baking. Folks seem to find it hard to believe that we can create such a crunchy texture and remain true to the principles of what the raw-live food movement is about — not cooking.

What other natural food producer(s) do you really admire? Why?
I admire honeybees the most. They are the humblest and sweetest natural food producers I know of. Plus they seem to have more reverence for the land than humans. Locally gathered honey is the most ecological sweetener in terms of energy consumption and sustainable farming practices. Not to mention they assist us with pollination of our food and create beautiful flowers for us to enjoy.

What's your favorite natural food product other than your own?
Although I eat a plant-based, raw-live food diet, I do enjoy warming up with herbal teas. Right now I’m big on Rooibos by African Red Tea Imports. I enjoy the mellow flavor and earthy aroma and it’s relaxing properties. I am told that Rooibos plants have a complex root system that travels very deep. I like to think this the reason this tea has such a high mineral content and imparts a grounding sensation. African Red Tea Imports also makes a Rooibos Extract powder that I like to keep this handy while traveling because all I need is a tiny dash into a glass of warm water and I can enjoy instant Rooibos tea.

What's next on the horizon for you and Jake’s Unbaked?
More delicious treasures! We are working on developing a dehydrated pro-biotic biscuit that is cultured with live lactobacillus organisms. I am interested in ways that food can be both medicine and delicious to eat. We are working on more varieties of our Rawnola Bars as well. Our next addition will be a carob inspired bar, for our customers who want an alternative to the raw cacao products on the market.

Where can people find Jake’s Unbaked products?
You can find our products at a handful of select natural food stores throughout the country, such as Erewhon Natural Foods in Los Angeles, California, Essene Market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New Frontiers in Flagstaff, Arizona, Westerly Natural Foods in New York. Visit our website for a list of locations or wholesale inquires. Also check out Zebra Organics for retail sales. For wholesale, or your personal enjoyment, you can order them by the case from our website.

Related Links:

- Jake's Unbaked (www.jakesunbaked.com)
- Tastemaker: Neal Gottlieb of Three Twins Ice Cream
- Tastemaker: Minh Tsai founder of Hodo Soy Beanery
- Real Food Energy Bar Review

Comments (1) | March 9 - 5:19 PM

category: Interviews/Profiles, New Products, Vegan / Veg