There are a ton of granola bar options at grocery stores. Some can be overload with sugar and high in fat. But it’s just as easy to make your own. Not only do you control the ingredients, but it saves you money. You can make a tray of granola bars, cut them into squares and have them ready for grab-and-go morning snack or to pack in lunches.
While the ingredients in this recipe are not common pantry items, most can be found at health food stores and in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
These granola bars are a good source of fiber with 6 grams per bar coming mainly from the oats, wheat germ and whole wheat flour. While they have 14 grams of fat per bar, it accounts for just 22 percent of the calories. The goal of many heart healthy recipes is no more 30 percent of the calories from fat.
If you’re unfamiliar with flaxseed, it’s known for being high in omega 3, fiber, zinc and other nutrients. Flaxseed is low in saturated fats, but high in alpha-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid that appears to be beneficial for fighting heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and other health problems
A popular brand is of regular and golden flaxseed is Bob’s Red Mill.
Vegan Granola Bars
Makes: 28 squares
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
This recipe calls for several ingredients that are not common pantry ingredients. See the ingredient note on what they are and where to find them.
Oil for the pan
4 cups cereal, such as steel-cut oats, old-fashioned oats, rice- or corn-based
1 cup golden flaxseed, ground
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups wheat germ (coarse grade preferred)
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 cup grapeseed oil
1 cup maple syrup
4 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups carob chips
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Lightly oil the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cereal, ground flaxseed, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
Slowly add in the apple sauce, grapeseed oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix until combined, about 1 minute. Add carob chips until barely incorporated. Do not over-mix the batter.
The mixture should be moist, but not too wet. If the granola dough seems to be a little dry, add a little more applesauce, one tablespoon at a time.
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press down. Dough should be 1 1/2-inch thick in the pan.
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, cool and cut into 28 squares.
Ingredient note: Carob is a non-dairy alternative to chocolate. It’s naturally sweeter and lower in fat than cocoa. Carob, like chocolate, contains caffeine. It is appropriate for those who are allergic to chocolate. Look for it in the baking aisle of some grocery and health food stores.
Flaxseed is high in omega 3, fiber, zinc, iron, vitamin E and calcium, and is low in saturated fat. Flaxseed is also high in alpha-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid that appears to be beneficial for fighting heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and other health problems. Look for golden flaxseed in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. A popular brand is Bob’s Red Mill.
Grapeseed oil is high in polyunsaturated fat and a good source of vitamin E, which has antioxidant properties and is involved in immune function.
From Frank Turner.
Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
277 calories (22 percent from fat), 14 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 34 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 95 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 g fiber.
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