Crossed off Q

I finally managed to find a few recipes for my alphabet baking project for the letter Q.  I decided to try a granola bar recipe. If I find a great recipe, I won’t be buying any more of the preservative-heavy boxed kind you find on every grocery store shelf.  These are close but not the winner.  I did not bake these as I tried the no-bake option and no matter how hard you press the ingredients together, it all falls apart when you start cutting the bars.  The flavor is wonderful and I liked the ingredients.  If I try the baking version, I’ll let you know how they  hold up against the knife.

Quaker-Style Chewy Granola Bars (baked or no-bake)

1 cup rolled oats

¼ tsp. baking soda

¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. oat flour (process rolled oats, then measure)

Optional: ¼ cup rice crispies

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 Tbps. coconut oil

¼ cup agave or honey

1-2 Tbps. brown sugar or 1-2 packs stevia

¼ tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. applesauce

Add-ins: mini chocolate chips, raisins or dried fruit, chopped nuts, shredded coconut

No-Bake directions: Combine all dry ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Stir the wet into the dry and mix well.  Line a 7x5 pan with parchment (or wax paper) and put the mixture in the pan.  Press firmly into the pan.  The recipe suggested using another pan to press the mixture into the lined pan.  Can place in the fridge until firm.

If baking, bake 18 -20 minutes and cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before cutting into bars.  Store in the refrigerator or they can be frozen as they thaw nicely.

Olivia likes to add her granola to yogurt and eat for a snack.  I tell you, they have great flavor, but they are too crumbly to call a bar.