No. 1 : Quick Recipe

Crunchy Nutty Granola Bars

  • 3 Cups Raw Roughly Chopped Almonds, Pecans, Walnuts or Cashews or Combination
  • 1 Cup Pumpkin Seeds
  • 2 Cups Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
  • 6 Cups Rolled Oats, Divided
  • ½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour (or Gluten Free Flour)
  • 3 Cups of (Your Choice) Dried Fruit, (Chopped if Large Pieces)
  • 4 Large Eggs 
  • 8 Large Egg Whites
  • 1 Cup Coconut Sugar 
  • ¼ Cup Avocado or Grapeseed Oil 
  • 2 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Tsp Allspice 
  • 1 Tsp Sea Salt 
  • 2 TB Vanilla Extract 

Step One

Preheat the oven to 325F. Place the nuts on one *sheet pan (18 x 13) and the seeds and 2 cups of the oatmeal on another. Bake for 10 minutes or until toasted, stirring once. The seeds and oatmeal may be done before the nuts Remove the nuts from one of the pans and line with foil, allowing it to overhang from the sides. Coat with cooking spray.

Step Two

Place the flour and remaining 4 cups of oatmeal in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and combine with the dried fruit, nuts, seeds, coconut and the toasted oatmeal. 

Step Three

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Stir in the oatmeal-almond mixture until well blended. Pat the batter into the prepared pan. 

Step Four

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a rack for at least 2 to 3 hours. Using the foil as a sling, remove from the pan. Use a serrated knife and cut squares. To store, wrap squares in plastic wrap or foil. Will keep for about 1 week, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

No. 2 : Kitchen Scoop

*A standard sheet pan is a must-have tool for the healthy kitchen. It not only is a must for large batch baking like this – it also is perfect for roasting veggies.

No. 3 : Clever Idea

This recipe makes about 36 -40 generous sized bars! Make them and freeze, you’ll have lots of better-for-you snacks to grab and go.

No. 4 : Cheers

Botter Santi Nello Prosecco Superiore DOCG
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Italy
About $15

Bright, fun and informal, this sparkly wine tastes and smells of citrus, green apple and peach. There’s a lot of value in this bottle – it’s from a region in Italy just north of Venice known as Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG –  the original area where the finest Proseccos are made. Glera is the indigenous grape that creates the sparkler. How fun to be able to enjoy the best a region offers for just $15! (And it makes a dynamite mimosa, too.)

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