Cranberry Granola Blondies (made with Guppy Granola)

Here's a good recipe for kids and adults alike... easy to make, healthy granola bars! These bars are packed with complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. If you don't have the dried cranberries you can substitute dried cherries or raisins. This recipe freezes and doubles well.

12 x 76 gram bars (or 24 x 38 gram)

1 cup Flour, whole-wheat 250 ml
1 tsp Baking powder 5 ml
½ tsp Salt 2.5 ml
1 cup Brown sugar, demerara 250 ml
¼ cup Oil, vegetable 60 ml
3 each Eggs, medium 3 each
2 cups Granola 500 ml
1 cup Cranberries, dried 250 ml

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat a 25 cm x 25 cm (10 inch square) - 2 liter baking dish with cooking spray or vegetable oil.
2. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Beat together sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl with a whisk until smooth, making sure no lumps of sugar remain. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Stir in granola and dried cranberries. The batter will be quite thick.
3. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish; smooth the top. Bake until golden brown on top and they feel set when lightly pressed in the center – about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the baking dish before cutting into 12 bars (6 x 2). Store in an airtight container.

Use the granola recipe I posted earlier as a base. I use a natural baking powder that does not contain alum and Wholesome Sweeteners brown sugar which is certified organic and fair trade. http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/

NUTRITION FACTS (per bar): 280 calories, 8 g fat, .5 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 180 mg sodium, 48 g carbohydrate, 4 g fibre, 26 g sugar, 5 g protein. %Daily Values: 4% calcium and 10% iron.

Don't get hung up on the calorie count! These bars make a sufficient breakfast or snack for people on the go. Cut in half (38 gram bars) they are about the size of a packaged granola bar you'd buy from the store.

Maple Granola (Slow Cooker)

This is a fine basic granola recipe that I now make in the slow cooker. Why the slow cooker? Well I tend to wander around when I am making things and granola left unattended in an oven burns too easily for me. For me the slow cooker is perfect and you might want to try this technique. Why the picture of my fine dog Angel? Well, at the moment I don't have a picture of this very nice granola!

You can use local honey instead of maple syrup. Both are interchangeable in this recipe. I have access to beautiful honey from the Board's Honey Farm out in Restoule so I often use it instead of maple syrup. Stay within the 6 cups of oats but you can use part or all spelt or rye flakes. Other optional additions dried cranberries or sour cherries instead of raisins. Just use your imagination and what's in the cupboard keeping within the general quantity of items.

6 cups oats, whole-grain, large flake - 1.5 liters
1/2 cup coconut, dried, unsweetened - 125 ml
1/2 tsp cinnamon - 2.5 ml
1/4 cup raisins - 60 ml
1/2 cup sunflower seeds - 125 ml
1/4 cup almonds, sliced - 60 ml
1/2 cup maple syrup - 125 ml
1/4 cup vegetable oil like grapeseed - 60 ml


1. Place ingredients in the slow cooker, mix well. Use large flake oats and not the instant or quick cooking variety. Set on low, stirring every half-hour or so until dry and golden, about 3 hours. Keep lid propped open while cooking so moisture can escape and granola crisps.
2. Stir in optional additions during last hour of cooking. Try raisins, dried cranberries or cherries, coconut, nuts and seeds. Cool and store in air-tight container.


Makes approximately 20 x 125 ml (65 g each) servings.

Nutrition Facts (65 gram or 1/2 cup - 125 ml serving): 270 calories, 6 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 mg sodium, 41 grams carbohydrate with 7 g sugar and 6 g fiber, 9 grams protein. % Daily Values: calcium 4% and iron 15%.

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