The Bar

By Anne Woodhouse, CHN

Back-to-school means back to packing lunches and snacks. Try these delicious high energy bars in lunches, snacks or part of that breakfast on the run.

  • 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 ¼ cup rolled oats
  • ½ cup oat bran
  • 1 ½ cup unsweetened crisp brown rice cereal
  • 1¼ cup chopped toasted nuts - almonds or walnuts
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup hemp seeds
  • 1 cup brown rice syrup
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla syrup
  • ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • A pinch of each: ground cinnamon and ginger
  1. Grease a 9”x13” baking pan with coconut oil or line with parchment paper and grease paper.
  2. Mix the oats, nuts, oat bran, cereal, cranberries and hemp seeds together in a large bowl. In a small sauce pan combine the rice syrup, vanilla and sea salt.
  3. Over medium heat bring the liquid to a boil, stirring constantly as the mixture thickens just a bit. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and mix well.
  4. Spread into the prepared pan and cool to room temperature and cut into desired size.

ENJOY!

Notes: these bars are easily modify by adding different dried fruits and spices for a range of flavors. If you want more protein, cut back on the oats and substitute more nuts. Cut, individually package, and freeze the bars for a grab and go quick meal or snack.