« Chicken Strip Tease | Main | Is (fill in the blank) more nutritious than white granulated sugar? »
February 24, 2008
Homemade Granola Bars
Bars of every make and model are causing gridlock in the supermarket aisles.
There are energy bars, cereal bars, breakfast bars and snack bars. Some are yogurt-covered, others are studded with bits of toffee or chocolate. Still others are designed as a meal replacement.
But buyer beware: Your favorite "healthy" granola bar may actually be a hybrid candy bar fueled by sugar, saturated fats and trans fats.
According to calorie-count.com, a typical 1.5-ounce soft granola bar with chocolate chips contains 181 calories, 7.1 grams of fat (4.4 grams saturated) and 117 milligrams of sodium.
These homemade granola bars also are soft and chewy and sprinkled with mini chocolate chips. But there's a difference: They're heavy on whole grains and light on fat and sodium.
Storage tip: Wheat germ is very oily and goes rancid quickly. Store in the refrigerator after opening.
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup wheat germ
2 cups crispy rice cereal
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/3cup honey
¼cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with aluminum foil. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well, using hands if necessary, and be sure all ingredients are evenly moist. Press mixture firmly into the prepared pan using the back of a spatula.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until nicely browned. Place on rack to cool. While pan is slightly warm, carefully cut into small bars.
Store in a sealed container for up to a week or place in plastic freezer bags and freeze.
Makes 22 bars.
Per bar: 107 calories (23 percent from fat), 3 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 1 milligram cholesterol, 16 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 1 milligram cholesterol, 61 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.
Posted by Lisa at February 24, 2008 12:13 PM
Trackback Pings
To send a trackback, use this url. If you know anything about this subject, please post a comment.