Hello + happy last Saturday of 2011, a.k.a. New Year’s Eve!
So, I have one final recipe for the year.
Don’t get too excited though. I was considering letting this recipe slip under the radar, but because not all my recipes are Gourmet worthy, I figured I’d still share. You live + you learn… and don’t get me wrong, this recipe has a lot of potential. I mean… apricots, coconut and salty pistachios – yummm.
Apricot Pistachio Oat Bars
Recipe Inspiration a la Carrots ‘N’ Cake
- 2 3/4 c. rolled oats
- 1/4 c. ground flax
- 1/4 c. unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 c. dried apricots, chopped
- 1/2 c. pistachios, chopped
- 3/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 c. 1% milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 T honey
- 1 egg
In a large mixing bowl, combine ingredients until smooth. Spread mixture into a 8×8 baking dish lined with parchment paper. Bake @ 350F for approximately 25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let bars cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.
Makes ~12 bars.
I was really excited about this healthified recipe, but perhaps it was just a little too fiber-full?
Where’s the butter?
I made a handful of adaptations – including the addition of coconut – so maybe it’s my fault that I found it to have a funny aftertaste (my guess is the dairy?). The bars are crumbly, too, as you could imagine without much to bind them together.
My Proposal: nix the milk + egg… maybe the brown sugar. Play around with a ratio of brown rice syrup + honey, and I see a show-stopping granola recipe. Go ahead, try it!
What would you do to alter this recipe?
See you next year… maybe sooner!
Hill
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
You win some and you lose some, but this combo of flavors sounds awesome! Maybe you could sub maple syrup for the brown sugar. Then you would get the binding and the sweetness.
Good idea!
I like making granola bars with agave and cashew butter. Heat the two ingredients on low to combine them and then mix them in with the mix. You could try subbing them for the honey and brown sugar maybe.
Happy almost New Year :D
cashew butter – yum!
i like to use pure maple and a little bit of ground up almonds to make them stick together.
and/or you could use coconut oil. it will help with the binding and you still get the coconut flavor.
Yummm! Your bars look delicious!
I also love your goals for 2012!
Happy New Year!
Thanks, Tina :)