“In the 1960′s when the “health food” market revived cereals of natural whole grain ingredients, they were called Granola, and enthusiastically adopted by the “hippie” movement. Most have dried fruit and/or nuts and added sugar or honey for flavor, and crispness and flavor are further enhanced by roasting.” ~ Food Reference.com
Dale Buettner is a member of the Joy Fit Club. He lost more than half his body weight to arrive at his current 175 pounds. He loves to cook and he developed this recipe for granola bars that are only 150 calories each.
They are packed with whole grains, pumpkin puree, dried fruit and dark chocolate chips. He eats them as a late afternoon boost. They are so good I couldn’t wait to share them.
Gather the ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 9 inch pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
Whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, honey and vanilla until smooth.
Stir in the oats, spices and salt.
Once the oats are moistened, add the dried cherries and dark chocolate chips.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press down evenly.
Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into 16 bars.
Serving size: 1 bar – Calories 150; Protein: 2 grams; Carbohydrates: 32 grams; Fat: 3 grams (1 gram saturated); Sodium: 40 milligrams; Fiber: 2 grams; Sugar: 20 grams.
Dale’s Granola Bars Recipe
By Published: June 2, 2013
- Yield: 16 Servings
- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 35 mins
- Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
Adapted from Dale Buettner's recipe.
Ingredients
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup unsweetend applesauce
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 9 inch pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, honey and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the oats, spices and salt.
Once the oats are moistened, add the dried cherries and dark chocolate chips.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press down evenly.
- Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into 16 bars.
- Serving size: 1 bar – Calories 150; Protein: 2 grams; Carbohydrates: 32 grams; Fat: 3 grams (1 gram saturated); Sodium: 40 milligrams; Fiber: 2 grams; Sugar: 20 grams
