Posted by Janet Harriett on Feb.03, 2009

Don’t let the rush to get ready for work and school get in the way of a nutritious breakfast.  These bars, similar to Quaker’s Oatmeal To Go, provide the nutrition of a bowl of oatmeal in a convenient, portable, packable bar form that is great for hurried mornings.  They store well, so you can make a week’s worth ahead of time and store in the fridge or freezer.

The only grain included is oats, making them suitable for gluten-free diets as long as you have uncontaminated oats.  Unlike many conventional homemade granola and granola bar recipes, these oatmeal breakfast bars contain no oil or added sugars, so they are low in fat and refined carbohydrates.  For a morning dose of protein, try spreading peanut butter or another nut butter on the bars. 

Because the recipe contains no added sugar, gluten free oatmeal breakfast bars are not as sweet as commercial granola bars or even most homemade granola recipes.  If your family is used to sweet things for breakfast, add up to 1/3 cup brown sugar with the dry ingredients, or substitute honey in equal measure for up to 1/4 cup of the apple juice.  Warm the honey in the microwave or on the stovetop (pour into a glass bowl and set in a pan of simmering water) to thin it out enough to mix with the apple juice.

Apple Raisin Oatmeal Bars
Prep time: 10 minutes.
Bake time: 30 minutes

4 cups rolled oats, divided (regular oats yield better results than quick oats)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup apple juice
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried apple, finely chopped
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 cup flax seeds

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a 13×9 pan.

Pulverize 1 cup of oats and the flax seeds in the blender until they are the consistency of flour.  Combine the pulverized oats, remaining oats, raisins, apples and cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Toss to coat the raisins with the oat flour, and break up any raisin clumps.

Add the applesauce and apple juice to the dry ingredients and combine until the oats are thoroughly moistened.  Any areas of dry oats will result in crumbly bars.

Spread in the prepared pan in an even layer and pack down tightly.  The back of a pancake flipper is great for this.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.  The top should feel dry and the bottom and sides should jut start to turn golden.

Cut into squares immediately.  Dividing the pan into eight squares will make individual bars containing the equivalent of a bowl of oatmeal made with 1/2 cup oats and a full serving of fruit.  Let the squares cool completely in the pan before removing.

Apple raisin oatmeal bars will store at room temperature in a plastic bag for a couple of days, longer in the refrigerator or freezer.

If desired, drizzle the tops of the bars with melted chocolate or powdered sugar icing for an extra special treat, or top with jam or fruit spread before eating.

You can substitute 2 cups of any type of dried fruit for the raisins and apples.  Some dried fruits have added sugars, so be sure to check labels.  A few flavors to try:

• Blueberry.
• Cherry.  Drizzle with melted dark chocolate for a chocolate-covered cherry oatmeal bar.
• Crumbled banana chips and finely chopped walnuts
• Cranberry.  Dried cranberries are difficult to find without added sugar.  For an orange-cranberry bar, substitute orange juice for the apple juice.
• Chopped dates
• A mix of pineapple, papaya, mango, apricot and crumbled banana chips.

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Posted under Food, Nutrition & Recipes, Gluten Free, Healthy Recipes.