Hello all. I recently made some oatmeal bars that I have really
enjoyed, so I wanted to share the recipe. I thought that I got it from
the archives, but I couldn't find it there, so I may have gotten it at a
different site. So, I'll just copy what I have and put my notes at
the end...
Breakfast Cookie Bars from 'Cooking With the Left Side of the Brain'
Ingredients:
2 cups oats
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup apple juice
0.25 cup wheat germ
1 cup dried fruit, packed and chopped
0.75 tsp. cinnamon
6 Tbls. brown sugar
0.5 tsp. salt
0.5 cup fat substitute (mashed bananas, berries, pureed pears, get
creative!)
Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9x13 (or a little smaller) pan with
nonstick spray. Mix all ingredients, pat thinly on bottom of pan,
sprinkle with extra cinnamon and bake for 30 minutes. WAIT TO COOL
before removing or they will crumble.
My Notes: I made these once before and didn't really like them. I
think I used applesauce for the fat that time. This time I used one
ripe banana and loved them. It didn't give them a banana flavor. I
also used half raisins and half dates for the fruit -- a combo I love!
I also used Quaker Quick&Hearty Microwave style that comes in individual
packets because it was all I had. I used about 2/3 cup apple juice plus
water to make a cup, because I ran out. As you can tell, I find it
pretty difficult to leave well enough alone when it comes to a recipe!
Also, this batter becomes very hard to stir -- I added the fruit last
and had to use my hands to get it in, and then to get it all into the
pan. My hands were covered with sticky stuff, but it was worth it, not
to use butter or anything. My bars also stuck in the pan a bit, but I
always wipe my spray back out with a paper towel, so that could be why.
I have really enjoyed these. I keep them in the fridge, then pop them
in the microwave for 20 seconds for breakfast, snack, dessert, or
whatever. They are great for my sweet tooth and still taste pretty
wholesome, too. I actually much prefer them to higher fat, refined
sweets.
If anyone else tries these and comes up with a yummy variation of fat
substitute and fruit, please let me know. Also, if any of you try these
and enter them into one of those nutritional analysis programs, I'd love
to know the results. I think they'd score pretty well, especially for
such a scrumptious treat.
I hope you guys like these. The fruit makes them very sweet, without a
whole lot of added sugar -- I bet kids would love them!
Keep up the wonderful posts
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