Tag Archives: nuts

Pumpkin Butterscotch Granola Bars

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bars and Cookies, Snacks and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Pumpkin Butterscotch Granola Bars

Are you tired of recipes with pumpkin?  I hope not, because this is another one, and as long as no one raises a red flag and shouts STOP, they’ll probably keep coming.  You know me and pumpkin by now, so as long as a recipe has the “P” word in it, I’m on it.

These are the BEST Granola Bars I have ever made.  I know that because my husband told me so, and I believe what he says.  🙂

Seriously, they are awfully good tasting, but also hold their shape without crumbling and cut nicely when cool.  They make a nutritional after school snack, or lunch box treat.  You can wrap them individually in wax paper or parchment paper and freeze them so they are available to grab on short notice.  Actually mine never made it to the freezer, because as you are chewing the last bite of the first one, your hand will be reaching for another one so in my house they didn’t last long.  Give them a try and I think you’ll agree with me —they are the best!

PUMPKIN BUTTERSCOTCH GRANOLA BARS

YIELD:  makes 20 – 24 bars depending on how you cut them.

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and prepare a 13″ x 9″ pan with a sheet of parchment paper  lining the bottom.

2.  Get these ingredients ready:

  • 4 cups oats, preferably old fashioned whole oats, but quick oats work, too.

    Get all the ingredients ready in advance.

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/3 cups slivered or sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup pepitas ( I used toasted sunflower seeds)
  • 11 ounces butterscotch chips ( 1 bag)

3   In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, and vegetable oil, mixing until the oats are well coated.

4.  Add the honey and the  brown sugar, pumpkin and cinnamon and salt and mix to combine.

5.  Add the almonds and pepitas and mix in.

6.  Stir in the butterscotch chips.

7.  Transfer the granola to the prepared pan and spread it out evenly.

8.  Bake the bars at 325 degrees for 30 minutes and then press down hard with a spatula.

9.  Bake for another 20 minutes.

10.  Let cool completely before cutting into bars.  Wrap individually and store in an air-tight container, or freeze.

PUMPKIN BUTTERSCOTCH GRANOLA BARS, a delicious snack.

SOURCE:    blog:  Heather Christo Cooks

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Chewy Granola Bars

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bars and Cookies, Snacks and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

When September and back-to-school time rolls around I always think of these bars.  That’s because my children loved them and I always made them to have as after school snacks, or to pack in lunch boxes.  I still make them because Mr. D. likes them a lot and I like to have them around for a healthy snack.

These bars can be customized to your taste by the addition of your favorite fruits and nuts or chips.  They are a great way to use up small amounts of fruits, or chips left over from another recipe.  They also freeze well and pack well so you can have them available all the time.  They can easily go along on a hike, a car trip, or camping.  What I like to do is wrap each square individually in plastic wrap, place in a covered container in the freezer, and take out the desired number as needed.  Last weekend Mr. D, and his friend went fishing for the day, and took some of these bars along to munch on.  His friend called to thank me and tell me how much he liked them.

These bars smell wonderful as they are baking, and eating one leads to wanting  another one, so they don’t last long.  It’s good to make a double recipe if you want to have a quantity on hand;  some to eat, and some to freeze.

CHEWY GRANOLA BARS

YIELD:  about 1 dozen bars, cut 2″ x 4 1/2″

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cups oat flour  (or 1/3 cup quick oats, processed till finely ground in a food processor or blender)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2-3 cups mixed dried fruit and nuts (example: cranberries, apricots, dates, raisins, coconut, almonds, walnuts, chocolate chips)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 cup honey, maple syrup, or corn syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13″ x 9 ” pan.

2.  Stir together all the dry ingredients including fruits and nuts.

3.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, melted butter, syrup or honey and water.

4.  Toss the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients until the mixture is evenly crumbly.

5.  Spread in prepared pan to evenly cover the bottom and pat down gently.

6.  Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.  Remove from oven, loosen the edges and let cool for 5 minutes.

7.  Use a knife ( or bench knife) to cut bars while still warm.  Cool on rack.  Wrap individually to store or with parchment paper between the layers in an air tight container.  These bars freeze well.

SOURCE:   King Arthur Flour

Grab ‘N Go: Granola and Yogurt

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Quick Meals, Snacks and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Over the course of the last few years I’ve been moving away from buying ready made foods like cereals, soups, sauces, etc. and making more and more of these items myself.  My reasons are  threefold;  environmental:  less packaging to dispose of;  health:  I can eliminate all those unpronounceable ingredients, and have better control over what we are eating; and emotional:  I feel really good knowing I can make it as good or better than what’s in a package.  Granola is one of those packaged items that I have ceased buying and now make at home.

Granola is very versatile.  It can be added to foods, as in a crumbly topping on a fruit cobbler, put on foods to add crunch, like over fruits, or ice-cream, or eaten out-of-hand as a snack.  So with that said, I have been making homemade granola and  spreading it around  rather liberally.  My lunches consist, for the most part, of fruit smoothies, or yogurt with granola on top; and for my husband, I send him off to work with a nutritious salad for lunch, and a bag of granola for a mid-afternoon snack.  Each time I make it I vary the fruits and nuts I put in it, so it does not become boring.

For anyone who needs a quick “grab and go” breakfast, or who brings lunch to work, yogurt and granola is a delicious, good-for-you duo.  I like Greek style yogurt because it’s thicker than regular styles, and because it packs almost twice the protein, so you’re not as likely to get the mid-morning munchies.  You can also stretch your budget by purchasing the large size yogurt and putting it into smaller 8 0z. containers.  Likewise package your granola in baggies, so when you’re ready to leave the house, just grab one of each and  you will be on your way with a breakfast or lunch that is economical, delicious, and good for you.

Trail Mix Granola

Makes about 5 cups

  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats


    Have all your ingredients ready before starting to assemble.

  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups add-ins, like dried cranberries, cherries, apricots, figs, raisins; coconut, nuts such as almonds, pistachios, walnuts.

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  Whisk together oil, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a glass measuring cup.  Heat briefly in microwave ( 1 minute at 50% power) to blend  and melt any sugar lumps.  Stir well,  then pour over oats in a  large bowl and toss to coat.

3.  Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 5 minutes.

4.   Let cool slightly, then transfer back into large bowl and stir in add-ins.  Let cool completely before packaging, or store in air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

SOURCE:  Quick Vegetarian Pleasures