eye can cook: Cran-Apple Breakfast Bars
Yes, classes have been in session for three weeks now. So even though we’re already making more trips to the campus pub for beer and burgers, let’s not forget to keep things a little healthy.
These half-chewy, half-crunchy, homemade granola bars are a great way to start off the day. Throw one in your bag to have with your morning latte or keep them handy for an afternoon snack in between classes.
You can find oats and wheat germ in your grocer’s cereal aisle. To save money, you can grab exact amounts of the needed ingredients from a bulk food store.
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (optional)
3/4 cup honey
1 cup dried apple rings
1 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a nine by nine inch glass baking dish.
In a bowl combine oats, wheat germ, sliced almonds and cinnamon. Spread mixture onto a baking sheet and toast in oven, on the middle rack, for 10 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently and do not let it burn.
In a microwave-safe bowl combine brown sugar, unsalted butter, salt, vanilla extract and honey. Microwave on high until brown sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove oat mixture from oven and, in a large mixing bowl, combine with melted butter-sugar mixture. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Stir in dried fruit into granola mixture. Press down granola mixture very firmly into glass baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool completely and cut into squares.
Store bars in an airtight container for up to a week.
Makes nine bars. Cost per bar: $0.68
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