2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup oat flour, (blend rolled oats in a blender or food processor until powdery to make oat flour) or substitute 1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350° F, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut. Freezes well.
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I have been searching for months for a great granola bar recipe. Something chewy in the middle but with a little crunch. One that wouldn’t be rock solid and one that wouldn’t crumble after taking the first bite. Something that my husband would agree to as a suitable replacement for the current packaged yucky ones he packs for a lunch. After a few months of tinkering with several recipes I finally found one that we both enjoy. The egg in the recipe is unique which seems to hold everything together and gives the bar the chewiness I’ve been looking for. They have been a perfect snack and store great in the freezer- a new staple in our home.
It’s not exceptionally healthy but in every aspect it’s healthier than the packaged ones I was looking to replace- yeah! Yield 20 bars (44 grams each). 189 calories, 3 grams protein, 8.4 grams fat.
Powered eggs work well in this recipe. Recipe adapted from www.allRecipes.com.
Chewy Granola Bars
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 cup butter or shortening
1/4 cup applesauce
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 cup rolled oats, blended in food processor until powdery
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Cream butter, applesauce and sugars, then add eggs and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients. Scoop by tablespoons onto sprayed baking sheet and gently flatten with palm.
Bake at 375 F for 8-10 minutes. Makes 5 dozen cookies. Freezes well.
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Thanks to Emily for this great recipe. Recipe adapted from http://mymuffinthursdays.blogspot.com/
I LOVE the oat flour in these cookies- they have quickly become a favorite in our home. The applesauce in the cookies reduces the amount of fat and gives the cookie a great chewiness. My husband prefers a little more chewiness by reducing the butter to 1/2 cup and increasing the applesauce to 1/2 cup. I personally prefer the 3/4 to 1/4 ratio as it gives the inside a chewy texure but the butter allows the outside of the cookie to get a nice crunch. Experiment to see what ratio works best for you.
Per cookie: 88 Calories, 3.5 grams of fat and 7.6 grams of sugar
Graham Crackers
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat flour (process ½ cup of rolled oats in food processor until powdery)
1/3 cup plus 1 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup butter or oil
1-3 TBSP milk or water
1 TBSP honey
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Heat oil, honey and water until melted. Pour honey mixture into dry ingredients and mix until dough can be formed into a ball (dough will be closer to the consistency of very dry cookie dough). Chill for at least 30 minutes. Roll out dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet 1/4” thick or less. Bake at 350 F for 7-10 minutes. Prick with a fork as it comes out of the oven and quickly cut into rectangles with a pizza cutter.
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These taste so much better than the boxed version of graham crackers! The same sweet honey taste but a little chewy in the middle and so much more flavor! These are a perfect snack.
Don’t worry if the dough looks a little funny after mixing, as long as you can mold it into a rough looking ball, it’s moist enough. Once the dough chills, it will roll out easily. Recipe courtesy of Battling the “MSG Myth” A Survival Guide and Cookbook.
Instant Oatmeal Packets
To make 10 individual instant packets:
In a food processor, blend ½ cup of oats until powdery (this will make the powdered oats listed in the recipe below)
Combine the following into each individual ziplock sandwich bag:
¼ cup Rolled Oats
2 Tbs. Powdered Oats (directions listed above)
1/8 tsp. Salt
4 tsp. Sugar (optional)
Close the top and store in a dry place.
Microwave directions for cooking:
Empty packet into microwaveable bowl. Add 2/3 cup water or milk. Microwave 1.5 minutes; stir.
Conventional directions for cooking:
Empty packet into pan. Add ½ cup boiling water; cook and stir over heat until thickened.
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Recipe taken and modified from the "Family Recipes" cookbook. I personally combine all ingredients into one large ziplock bag, then each morning measure out 1/3 cup of oatmeal for a single serving.
