Cranberry Flax Granola Bars
(Click on photo for larger view)1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup Crisco
3 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup ground flax seed
2 1/2 cups regular (not instant) oatmeal
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup dried cranberries (I used Craisins)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup chocolate chips (dark or semisweet)
1/3 cup nuts (optional) (I used no-salt, roasted almonds)
Blend peanut butter, Crisco, brown sugar, vanilla and egg whites. Stir in flax seed, oatmeal, cinnamon and salt.
Once well mixed, blend in dried cranberries, chocolate chips and nuts.
Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam and pat the mixture into the pan with damp hands.
Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees or until just set.
Cut into 12 bars as soon as you remove the pan from the oven.
Once cooled, remove bars from the pan.
Yield: 12 bars
These are delicious! I got the recipe at a cooking class at my gym. I believe each bar has 180 calories. Other than the Crisco, these bars are a perfect snack.
Labels: Bars, Chocolate, Nuts, Oatmeal, Quick and Easy, Snack
posted by Les @ 4:04 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Hi there! Great recipe. By Crisco, do you mean oil or lard. There are a few different Crisco products so just want to be sure.
Thnx.
Candice - Sorry. I should've indicated that I use the solid Crisco shortening. I wish I knew of a substitute that would make this healthier. Any suggestions?
Thanks for stopping by!
I think I'll try subsituting butter. I've heard any solid fat substitues easily. Butter or margarine; however margarine just isn't a natural product.
I've also heard applesauce can be substituted in baking recipes but I'm thinking that the shortening is what holds these babies together.
I'll let you know how they turn out!
Candice - I've thought about using butter, too. I don't like margarine and Crisco shortening isn't really naturally, either, is it? Let me know how they turn out. The peanut butter should help bind them, too.
Hi, Les. New to your blog and just want to say how much I am really appreciating your wonderful recipes. I plan to try this one very soon and will let you know how it turns out (I know people always promise that but rarely follow through - why is that, lol? - but I really will). I'm going to sub coconut oil for the shortening - or perhaps half coconut oil, half banana or applesauce - as I've found it works well in most recipes. I'll also sub half coconut sugar, half Xylitol or Truvia plus 1/2T molasses for the brown sugar; and will either add or sub 1/4 cup whole chia seed for 1/4 cup of the oatmeal. Really excited to try this. Thanks so much for sharing! <3
Cheryl in NC
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