Whole Grain Apple Filled Bars

“Whole foods like grains and beans release their sugar very, very slowly because of the fiber in them, and they don’t give you a sugar rush. They feed your cells as needed, and as a result, you have loads of stable energy that powers you through the day.” ~ Kathy Freston

Whole Grain Fruit Bars

My son- in- law is a firefighter, which means most days he has very long hours. He likes plain food with little to no sauce. Right now, you are probably thinking about all the fabulous cooking that occurs in firehouses across the country. Well, not every fireman is a great chef. To fill in the gaps, when the food is less than desirable, my son-in-law often eats pre-packaged grain bars.

In my opinion, most multi-grain bars are not very healthy, and  they contain ingredients I don’t even know about.  So,  I have been on a mission to revamp his snacks.

Two ingredients that Ty said he would like in a bar are apples and cinnamon. This is my first “healthy” fruit bar winner.

Peel the organic granny smith apples and finely chop them. In a large frying pan, melt the butter. Sauté the apples with the sugars and cinnamon. When the apples are slightly soft, thicken the mixture with a slurry of flour and water. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pulse for 30 seconds.

Add the butter and cold water and pulse until the dough holds together when pressed.

Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper.

Place half of the dough in the prepared pan, and press the dough down evenly.
Spread the prepared apple mixture on top of the dough. Sprinkle the remaining dough over the apple filling and gently press the dough down.

Bake for 40-45 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven.

Cool, and then cut into 16 bars.

This recipe was adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod.

Whole Grain Apple Filled Bars

By Patricia Rio Published: February 19, 2014

• Whole Grain Apple Filled Bars

  • 5.00 / 5 5
  • 1 / 5
  • 2 / 5
  • 3 / 5
  • 4 / 5
  • 5 / 5

  3 votes, 5.00 avg. rating (98% score)
• Yield: 16 bars
• Prep: 20 mins
• Cook: 40-45 mins
• Ready In: 60 mins

  "Whole foods like grains and beans release their sugar very, very slowly because of the fiber in them, and they don't give you a …

Ingredients

• 3 whole Organic Granny Smith apples Filling
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Filling
• 1/4 cup white sugar Filling
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar Filling
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Filling
• 1-2 tablespoons sprouted whole wheat flour King Arthur Flour
• 1-2 tablespoons water Filling
• 1 1/2 cups sprouted whole wheat flour King Arthur Flour
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter cut into pieces
• 2 -3 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

1. Peel the organic granny smith apples and finely chop them. In a large frying pan, melt the butter. Sauté the apples with the sugars and cinnamon. When the apples are slightly soft, thicken the mixture with a slurry of flour and water. Set aside.
   
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pulse for 30 seconds.
   
3. Add the butter and cold water and pulse until the dough holds together when pressed.
   
4. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper.
   
5. Place half of the dough in the prepared pan, and press the dough down evenly. Spread the prepared apple mixture on top of the dough. Sprinkle the remaining dough over the apple filling and gently press the dough down.
   
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven.
   
7. Cool, and then cut into 16 bars. Enjoy!!