
Recent Recipes
Overnight Baked Berry Banana French Toast
Apricot and Almond Pasta Salad
Crunchy Chicken or Chickpea Salad
Chewy Cacao Granola Bars
These homemade granola bars are free of refined sugar, gluten, and dairy!
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins, dried cherries or other dried fruit
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds, walnuts or peanuts
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut a piece of parchment paper 8 inches wide, and place it in an 8” x 8” baking pan, with the edges hanging over to make handles for easy removal of the finished bars.
On a sheet pan, spread the oats and toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden in spots. Let cool on a rack.
Place the cooled oats in a large bowl and add the dried fruit, nuts, cocoa and salt and stir to mix well.
In a medium bowl, combine the applesauce, honey and vanilla. Stir until smooth, then pour over the oat mixture. Stir until well mixed, then spread in the prepared pan. Using a spatula, press the mixture firmly and evenly in the pan.
Bake for 30 minutes, until the bars feel firm when pressed. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then use the parchment to lift the bars out and let cool completely. Cut 3-by-4 to make 12 bars. Store, tightly wrapped, for up to 4 days at room temperature or a week in the refrigerator.
Yield: 12 servings