Granola Bars

I was looking for a recipe for granola bars, and found this recipe.

When I cook or bake, I do not follow to a tee.  As soon as I saw the list of ingredients, I decided to omit the brown sugar.  As I consume very little sugar, my tongue does not handle sweet stuff very well.

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup wheat germ                           → Replaced with ground flaxseed
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour                      → 1/4 cup instead
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt                    → 1 pinch instead
1/2 cup honey                                    → 1/3 cup instead
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil                          → 1/3 cup oil plus 1/3 applesauce instead
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried sour cherries, chopped
                                                     → 1/2 cup of dried fruits (I like to use dried cranberries or raisins)
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips             → 1/4 cup or omit
3/4 cup slivered almonds                   → 1/4 cup nuts (I have tried with unsalted cashew nuts)

Serving size 16 bars

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.

 

2. Add all dry ingredients (oats, flour, cinnamon, ground flaxseed and salt) in a bowl.

3. Measure wet ingredients (oil, honey, applesauce, vanilla and egg).  Note: If you do not have applesauce on hand, you may use 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup honey.

Mix all wet ingredients well.

4. Pour the wet ingredient mixture to the bowl. Mix well.

My little helper was a great help! 

5. Add nuts, dried fruits and chocolate chips.  Mix well.

6. Press the mixture to the pan.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes in a 350F oven.

7. Cool for 10 minutes and cut into pieces. 

 

Update (March 24, 2013):

• Baking in a 9x9" pan makes a thicker bars. 
• Coconut, Chocolate & Almonds: Yummy!  I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil.  I omitted vanilla.