Granola Bars!!

So I love granola bars; they are a quick on the go snack. However, I have found MANY bars have sugar in them and obviously most are not gluten free (if they are they are way too expensive). So I have come up with a solution! I made my own! This recipe is SO easy, there is NO cooking involved! I love recipes like that, don't you? Let's get to it!

Granola Bars

1 cup Raisins (regular or golden are fine)
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup Toasted Nuts (almonds or pecans work best but you can use a variety)
1 1/2 cup Oats

1. In a small bowl microwave the peanut butter and honey for 30 seconds and stir so it is mixed well.

2. In a food processor, puree the raisins until they become a paste (it will look like fig newton filling). 

3. In a large bowl combine ALL ingredients, mix well.

4. Press into an 8x8 pan lined with wax paper for easy removal.

5. Freeze the bar for about 40 minutes or until set firm, I like to wait until its nearly frozen solid.

6. Remove the bars from the pan and cut into desired sizes, I like to individually cut them, wrap them in plastic and keep them stored in the freezer; taking one out when I am on the run and letting it defrost a little before eating it nice and cold. 

VARIATIONS: 
You can use almost any dried fruit instead of raisins (figs, cranberries, etc.)
Choose the nuts you like and use those instead, I like to roast the nuts in the oven to bring out the flavor more.
Feel free to make these unhealthy by adding chocolate chips or M&Ms if you wish (that will make them NOT sugar free) 






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Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cups

In the mornings I've usually been in a hurry or running out the door to get to work on time, leaving little time to make breakfast. So having these bad boys ready to grab and go are simple a treat! This is probably the easiest recipe I've made all week. I came home from work the other day and had a sweet tooth craving that would NOT leave me alone. I had been eating lots of berries that day so I wanted to mix it up.

Thank the skies above for APPLES! Apples that come in big bags! Crisp and tart when consumed raw, soft and sweet when baked. 

Apples are grown everywhere and are easy to find year round in nearly every store that carries fresh produce. There are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples, resulting in a range of desired characteristics. Different cultivars are bred for various tastes and uses, including cooking, eating raw and cider production. 

About 69 million tons of apples were grown worldwide in 2010, and China produced almost half of this total. The United States is the second-leading producer, with more than 6% of world production. Turkey is third, followed by Italy, India and Poland. Apples are often eaten raw, but can also be found in many prepared foods (especially desserts) and drinks. Many beneficial health effects are thought to result from eating apples. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a typical apple serving weighs 242 grams and contains 126 calories with significant dietary fiber and modest vitamin C content, with otherwise a generally low content of essential nutrients.

Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cups

2 cups Oats (I use Gluten Free Rolled Oats)

1 tsp Baking powder (also Gluten Free)

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1 cup Milk (I used unsweetened almond milk but you can use soy, rice or diary)

1/2 tsp Vanilla

1 Egg

1 1/2 Bananas, mashed

1 Apple, cored & diced (I used Ambrosia but you can use any variety)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2. In a bowl mix the oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. 

3. Add the milk, vanilla and egg to another bowl and whisk.

4. In the oats bowl, mix in the banana and the liquid milk mixture.

5. Lastly, fold in the apples. 

6. Spray or line muffin pan and fill each muffin with 1/4 cup of the batter (This should make 12) and bake for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown. 

7. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to completely cool. (This is when I usually sample one)

Other Variations: 

-Adding nuts or dried fruits

-Using green apples for a more tart taste

-Adding honey for a sweeter muffin taste.

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