Do you think this would work?

Most loose granola is very high in fat; some off-brand of granola bars
that I tried was full of hydrogenated fats (it even tasted greasy.) We
like Nature Valley granola bars, but they are kinda expensive. They are
a little high in sugar, but that's not all *that* bad.

I should be able to make something similar by making Rice Krispie Treats
substituting rolled oats for about 2/3 of the crisp rice cereal. Then
add a bunch of almonds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, raisins, and
toasted wheat germ. I think it might work.

Should I toast the oats, or just use them straight from the box?
Has anyone tried this before? Did it suck?

Thanks, regards,
Bob

Say if it works let me know, I'd love to make granola bars, the kids love
them. Stay warm, I let the dog out at 4 am in Wisconsin and
Burrrrrrrrrrrrr! Carol In WI

Say if it works let me know, I'd love to make granola bars, the kids love
them. Stay warm, I let the dog out at 4 am in Wisconsin and
Burrrrrrrrrrrrr! Carol In WI

zxcvbob wrote:
> Do you think this would work?
>
> Most loose granola is very high in fat; some off-brand of granola bars
> that I tried was full of hydrogenated fats (it even tasted greasy.) We
> like Nature Valley granola bars, but they are kinda expensive. They are
> a little high in sugar, but that's not all *that* bad.
>
> I should be able to make something similar by making Rice Krispie Treats
> substituting rolled oats for about 2/3 of the crisp rice cereal. Then
> add a bunch of almonds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, raisins, and
> toasted wheat germ. I think it might work.
>
> Should I toast the oats, or just use them straight from the box?
> Has anyone tried this before? Did it suck?


I've made granola before. There's no particular recipe, just a
combination of oats, honey or maple syrup, raisins and/or other dried
fruits, nuts such as walnuts or peanuts, seeds like sunflower or sesame
seeds, and oil or butter, all mixed together, spread on a cookie sheet
and toasted in the oven. If you want to cut down on the fat, go easy on
the oil or butter. If you're more comfortable with an exact recipe, you
can google and find many.


Is that your question, being able to reproduce commercial granola at
home? Or were you asking about forming it into a bar for easy
transport? Personally, I'd toss it loose into a plastic bag and eat it
with a spoon, but if you want it hold together, you might experiment
with a little more honey and compacting it before baking.


--Lia

zxcvbob wrote:
> Do you think this would work?
>
> Most loose granola is very high in fat; some off-brand of granola bars
> that I tried was full of hydrogenated fats (it even tasted greasy.) We
> like Nature Valley granola bars, but they are kinda expensive. They are
> a little high in sugar, but that's not all *that* bad.
>
> I should be able to make something similar by making Rice Krispie Treats
> substituting rolled oats for about 2/3 of the crisp rice cereal. Then
> add a bunch of almonds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, raisins, and
> toasted wheat germ. I think it might work.
>
> Should I toast the oats, or just use them straight from the box?
> Has anyone tried this before? Did it suck?


I've made granola before. There's no particular recipe, just a
combination of oats, honey or maple syrup, raisins and/or other dried
fruits, nuts such as walnuts or peanuts, seeds like sunflower or sesame
seeds, and oil or butter, all mixed together, spread on a cookie sheet
and toasted in the oven. If you want to cut down on the fat, go easy on
the oil or butter. If you're more comfortable with an exact recipe, you
can google and find many.


Is that your question, being able to reproduce commercial granola at
home? Or were you asking about forming it into a bar for easy
transport? Personally, I'd toss it loose into a plastic bag and eat it
with a spoon, but if you want it hold together, you might experiment
with a little more honey and compacting it before baking.


--Lia

You'd have something more like Muesli bars than granola bars - the oats
would be raw, or
if toasted, dry.

I've thought of doing the same thing, but never tried it. I would use
cooked granola, though.
I make this one all the time, and it's great. It's got lots of nuts,
so is technically high in fat. But good fat.
Other than the nuts, it's only got 1/4 cup canolla (or whatever you
like) oil in it.

I don't usually use cashews, though. And I cut the salt to 1/2
teaspoon. Note that the NOTES are for the
overly-literal cooking challenged.

Note also that this, stirred into plain wholefat yogurt, is the world's
best breakfast. Well, best breakfast without
eggs or pancakes, anyway.

Granola
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown


Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup cashews
(NOTE: Any nuts will do.)
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (NOTE: Light is fine too.)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt (NOTE - I use 1/2 teaspoon.)
1 cup raisins (NOTE: Any dried fruits, or none if you like.)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both
mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes,
stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix
until evenly distributed.



Episode#: EA1E06
Copyright =A9 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Another possibility: After making granolla, mix it with enough peanut
butter to hold it together.
Not like commercial bars, but how could it be bad?

Greg Zywicki

Julia Altshuler wrote:
> zxcvbob wrote:
>
>> Do you think this would work?
>>
>> Most loose granola is very high in fat; some off-brand of granola bars
>> that I tried was full of hydrogenated fats (it even tasted greasy.)
>> We like Nature Valley granola bars, but they are kinda expensive.
>> They are a little high in sugar, but that's not all *that* bad.
>>
>> I should be able to make something similar by making Rice Krispie
>> Treats substituting rolled oats for about 2/3 of the crisp rice
>> cereal. Then add a bunch of almonds, sunflower seeds, dried
>> cranberries, raisins, and toasted wheat germ. I think it might work.
>>
>> Should I toast the oats, or just use them straight from the box?
>> Has anyone tried this before? Did it suck?
>
>
>
> I've made granola before. There's no particular recipe, just a
> combination of oats, honey or maple syrup, raisins and/or other dried
> fruits, nuts such as walnuts or peanuts, seeds like sunflower or sesame
> seeds, and oil or butter, all mixed together, spread on a cookie sheet
> and toasted in the oven. If you want to cut down on the fat, go easy on
> the oil or butter. If you're more comfortable with an exact recipe, you
> can google and find many.
>
>
> Is that your question, being able to reproduce commercial granola at
> home? Or were you asking about forming it into a bar for easy
> transport? Personally, I'd toss it loose into a plastic bag and eat it
> with a spoon, but if you want it hold together, you might experiment
> with a little more honey and compacting it before baking.
>
>
> --Lia
>


I'm looking for some thing healthful that my family will eat in place of
candy bars. I don't care if it is a little more sugary than would be
optimal, but I don't want it loaded with trans- fat. Actually, I don't
want it loaded with any kind of fat other than what's in the nuts and as
little oil as I can use to keep them from tasting dry.

Everybody like "Nature Valley® Chewy Trail Mix Fruit & Nut Bars" that I
buy at Sam's in big boxes for $7. But the boxes aren't *that* big, and
they go pretty fast. I was examining one yesterday and thought, how
hard could it be to make something like that? Plus I could reduce the
sugar a little bit.

Bob

Julia Altshuler wrote:
> zxcvbob wrote:
>
>> Do you think this would work?
>>
>> Most loose granola is very high in fat; some off-brand of granola bars
>> that I tried was full of hydrogenated fats (it even tasted greasy.)
>> We like Nature Valley granola bars, but they are kinda expensive.
>> They are a little high in sugar, but that's not all *that* bad.
>>
>> I should be able to make something similar by making Rice Krispie
>> Treats substituting rolled oats for about 2/3 of the crisp rice
>> cereal. Then add a bunch of almonds, sunflower seeds, dried
>> cranberries, raisins, and toasted wheat germ. I think it might work.
>>
>> Should I toast the oats, or just use them straight from the box?
>> Has anyone tried this before? Did it suck?
>
>
>
> I've made granola before. There's no particular recipe, just a
> combination of oats, honey or maple syrup, raisins and/or other dried
> fruits, nuts such as walnuts or peanuts, seeds like sunflower or sesame
> seeds, and oil or butter, all mixed together, spread on a cookie sheet
> and toasted in the oven. If you want to cut down on the fat, go easy on
> the oil or butter. If you're more comfortable with an exact recipe, you
> can google and find many.
>
>
> Is that your question, being able to reproduce commercial granola at
> home? Or were you asking about forming it into a bar for easy
> transport? Personally, I'd toss it loose into a plastic bag and eat it
> with a spoon, but if you want it hold together, you might experiment
> with a little more honey and compacting it before baking.
>
>
> --Lia
>


I'm looking for some thing healthful that my family will eat in place of
candy bars. I don't care if it is a little more sugary than would be
optimal, but I don't want it loaded with trans- fat. Actually, I don't
want it loaded with any kind of fat other than what's in the nuts and as
little oil as I can use to keep them from tasting dry.

Everybody like "Nature Valley® Chewy Trail Mix Fruit & Nut Bars" that I
buy at Sam's in big boxes for $7. But the boxes aren't *that* big, and
they go pretty fast. I was examining one yesterday and thought, how
hard could it be to make something like that? Plus I could reduce the
sugar a little bit.

Bob

"Zywicki" > wrote in message
ups.com...
snip
Note also that this, stirred into plain wholefat yogurt, is the world's
best breakfast. Well, best breakfast without
eggs or pancakes, anyway.

Granola
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown


Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup cashews
(NOTE: Any nuts will do.)
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (NOTE: Light is fine too.)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt (NOTE - I use 1/2 teaspoon.)
1 cup raisins (NOTE: Any dried fruits, or none if you like.)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both
mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes,
stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix
until evenly distributed.



Episode#: EA1E06
Copyright © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

My husband likes the Alton Brown granola best of all the granola recipes
that I have tried. I don't think that it would hold together as bars,
however. You might want to look at basic recipes for dog biscuits and
winter bars for birds. Generally the concept is something like peanut
butter plus hot water and then whole grain flour, grains, seeds, raisins.
Knead the mixture, roll out and bake. You might be able to tinker and
combine the granola and dog biscuit recipe to get a bar you like. As I
recall, the basic grain is oatmeal for dog/bird 'biscuits.' (lots of whole
wheat flour for dog biscuits). But what makes them hold together is getting
the basic stuff wet with very hot water and then kneading together. If you
do go this route, I found that rolling out on parchment or between parchment
is the easiest way to avoid nasty sticking. You ought to be able to Google
for dog biscuits or use recipesource.com
Janet

"Zywicki" > wrote in message
ups.com...
snip
Note also that this, stirred into plain wholefat yogurt, is the world's
best breakfast. Well, best breakfast without
eggs or pancakes, anyway.

Granola
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown


Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup cashews
(NOTE: Any nuts will do.)
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (NOTE: Light is fine too.)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt (NOTE - I use 1/2 teaspoon.)
1 cup raisins (NOTE: Any dried fruits, or none if you like.)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both
mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes,
stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix
until evenly distributed.



Episode#: EA1E06
Copyright © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

My husband likes the Alton Brown granola best of all the granola recipes
that I have tried. I don't think that it would hold together as bars,
however. You might want to look at basic recipes for dog biscuits and
winter bars for birds. Generally the concept is something like peanut
butter plus hot water and then whole grain flour, grains, seeds, raisins.
Knead the mixture, roll out and bake. You might be able to tinker and
combine the granola and dog biscuit recipe to get a bar you like. As I
recall, the basic grain is oatmeal for dog/bird 'biscuits.' (lots of whole
wheat flour for dog biscuits). But what makes them hold together is getting
the basic stuff wet with very hot water and then kneading together. If you
do go this route, I found that rolling out on parchment or between parchment
is the easiest way to avoid nasty sticking. You ought to be able to Google
for dog biscuits or use recipesource.com
Janet

zxcvbob wrote:
> Julia Altshuler wrote:
>> zxcvbob wrote:
>>
>>> Do you think this would work?
>>>
>>> Most loose granola is very high in fat; some off-brand of granola
>>> bars that I tried was full of hydrogenated fats (it even tasted
>>> greasy.)
>>> We like Nature Valley granola bars, but they are kinda expensive.
>>> They are a little high in sugar, but that's not all *that* bad.
>>>
>>> I should be able to make something similar by making Rice Krispie
>>> Treats substituting rolled oats for about 2/3 of the crisp rice
>>> cereal. Then add a bunch of almonds, sunflower seeds, dried
>>> cranberries, raisins, and toasted wheat germ. I think it might
>>> work.
>>>
>>> Should I toast the oats, or just use them straight from the box?
>>> Has anyone tried this before? Did it suck?
>>
>>
>>
>> I've made granola before. There's no particular recipe, just a
>> combination of oats, honey or maple syrup, raisins and/or other dried
>> fruits, nuts such as walnuts or peanuts, seeds like sunflower or
>> sesame seeds, and oil or butter, all mixed together, spread on a
>> cookie sheet and toasted in the oven. If you want to cut down on
>> the fat, go easy on the oil or butter. If you're more comfortable
>> with an exact recipe, you can google and find many.
>>
>>
>> Is that your question, being able to reproduce commercial granola at
>> home? Or were you asking about forming it into a bar for easy
>> transport? Personally, I'd toss it loose into a plastic bag and eat
>> it with a spoon, but if you want it hold together, you might
>> experiment with a little more honey and compacting it before baking.
>>
>>
>> --Lia
>>
>
>
> I'm looking for some thing healthful that my family will eat in place
> of candy bars. I don't care if it is a little more sugary than would
> be optimal, but I don't want it loaded with trans- fat. Actually, I
> don't want it loaded with any kind of fat other than what's in the
> nuts and as little oil as I can use to keep them from tasting dry.
>
> Everybody like "Nature Valley® Chewy Trail Mix Fruit & Nut Bars" that
> I buy at Sam's in big boxes for $7. But the boxes aren't *that* big,
> and they go pretty fast. I was examining one yesterday and thought,
> how
> hard could it be to make something like that? Plus I could reduce the
> sugar a little bit.
>
> Bob

If you make them (toasted oats or not) like Rice Crispy bars, aren't you
going to be using marshmallows or marshmallow creme (fluff) which is pretty
much pure sugar? I'm not sure how that would benefit reduced sugar in the
long run. They might taste good, though.

Jill

zxcvbob wrote:
> Julia Altshuler wrote:
>> zxcvbob wrote:
>>
>>> Do you think this would work?
>>>
>>> Most loose granola is very high in fat; some off-brand of granola
>>> bars that I tried was full of hydrogenated fats (it even tasted
>>> greasy.)
>>> We like Nature Valley granola bars, but they are kinda expensive.
>>> They are a little high in sugar, but that's not all *that* bad.
>>>
>>> I should be able to make something similar by making Rice Krispie
>>> Treats substituting rolled oats for about 2/3 of the crisp rice
>>> cereal. Then add a bunch of almonds, sunflower seeds, dried
>>> cranberries, raisins, and toasted wheat germ. I think it might
>>> work.
>>>
>>> Should I toast the oats, or just use them straight from the box?
>>> Has anyone tried this before? Did it suck?
>>
>>
>>
>> I've made granola before. There's no particular recipe, just a
>> combination of oats, honey or maple syrup, raisins and/or other dried
>> fruits, nuts such as walnuts or peanuts, seeds like sunflower or
>> sesame seeds, and oil or butter, all mixed together, spread on a
>> cookie sheet and toasted in the oven. If you want to cut down on
>> the fat, go easy on the oil or butter. If you're more comfortable
>> with an exact recipe, you can google and find many.
>>
>>
>> Is that your question, being able to reproduce commercial granola at
>> home? Or were you asking about forming it into a bar for easy
>> transport? Personally, I'd toss it loose into a plastic bag and eat
>> it with a spoon, but if you want it hold together, you might
>> experiment with a little more honey and compacting it before baking.
>>
>>
>> --Lia
>>
>
>
> I'm looking for some thing healthful that my family will eat in place
> of candy bars. I don't care if it is a little more sugary than would
> be optimal, but I don't want it loaded with trans- fat. Actually, I
> don't want it loaded with any kind of fat other than what's in the
> nuts and as little oil as I can use to keep them from tasting dry.
>
> Everybody like "Nature Valley® Chewy Trail Mix Fruit & Nut Bars" that
> I buy at Sam's in big boxes for $7. But the boxes aren't *that* big,
> and they go pretty fast. I was examining one yesterday and thought,
> how
> hard could it be to make something like that? Plus I could reduce the
> sugar a little bit.
>
> Bob

If you make them (toasted oats or not) like Rice Crispy bars, aren't you
going to be using marshmallows or marshmallow creme (fluff) which is pretty
much pure sugar? I'm not sure how that would benefit reduced sugar in the
long run. They might taste good, though.

Jill

If the idea is to wean your family away from candy, I suggest gorp.
Gorp is a mix of dried fruit and nuts. Skip the rolled oats, and leave
that for breakfast. Just toss in a bag dried apricots, walnuts,
raisins, coconut, dates, sunflower seeds, etc. and eat it by the handful.


--Lia


zxcvbob wrote:

> I'm looking for some thing healthful that my family will eat in place of
> candy bars. I don't care if it is a little more sugary than would be
> optimal, but I don't want it loaded with trans- fat. Actually, I don't
> want it loaded with any kind of fat other than what's in the nuts and as
> little oil as I can use to keep them from tasting dry.
>
> Everybody like "Nature Valley® Chewy Trail Mix Fruit & Nut Bars" that I
> buy at Sam's in big boxes for $7. But the boxes aren't *that* big, and
> they go pretty fast. I was examining one yesterday and thought, how
> hard could it be to make something like that? Plus I could reduce the
> sugar a little bit.
>
> Bob

If the idea is to wean your family away from candy, I suggest gorp.
Gorp is a mix of dried fruit and nuts. Skip the rolled oats, and leave
that for breakfast. Just toss in a bag dried apricots, walnuts,
raisins, coconut, dates, sunflower seeds, etc. and eat it by the handful.


--Lia


zxcvbob wrote:

> I'm looking for some thing healthful that my family will eat in place of
> candy bars. I don't care if it is a little more sugary than would be
> optimal, but I don't want it loaded with trans- fat. Actually, I don't
> want it loaded with any kind of fat other than what's in the nuts and as
> little oil as I can use to keep them from tasting dry.
>
> Everybody like "Nature Valley® Chewy Trail Mix Fruit & Nut Bars" that I
> buy at Sam's in big boxes for $7. But the boxes aren't *that* big, and
> they go pretty fast. I was examining one yesterday and thought, how
> hard could it be to make something like that? Plus I could reduce the
> sugar a little bit.
>
> Bob

jmcquown wrote:

> zxcvbob wrote:
>
>>Julia Altshuler wrote:
>>
>>>zxcvbob wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Do you think this would work?
>>>>
>>>>Most loose granola is very high in fat; some off-brand of granola
>>>>bars that I tried was full of hydrogenated fats (it even tasted
>>>>greasy.)
>>>>We like Nature Valley granola bars, but they are kinda expensive.
>>>>They are a little high in sugar, but that's not all *that* bad.
>>>>
>>>>I should be able to make something similar by making Rice Krispie
>>>>Treats substituting rolled oats for about 2/3 of the crisp rice
>>>>cereal. Then add a bunch of almonds, sunflower seeds, dried
>>>>cranberries, raisins, and toasted wheat germ. I think it might
>>>>work.
>>>>
>>>>Should I toast the oats, or just use them straight from the box?
>>>>Has anyone tried this before? Did it suck?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>I've made granola before. There's no particular recipe, just a
>>>combination of oats, honey or maple syrup, raisins and/or other dried
>>>fruits, nuts such as walnuts or peanuts, seeds like sunflower or
>>>sesame seeds, and oil or butter, all mixed together, spread on a
>>>cookie sheet and toasted in the oven. If you want to cut down on
>>>the fat, go easy on the oil or butter. If you're more comfortable
>>>with an exact recipe, you can google and find many.
>>>
>>>
>>>Is that your question, being able to reproduce commercial granola at
>>>home? Or were you asking about forming it into a bar for easy
>>>transport? Personally, I'd toss it loose into a plastic bag and eat
>>>it with a spoon, but if you want it hold together, you might
>>>experiment with a little more honey and compacting it before baking.
>>>
>>>
>>>--Lia
>>>
>>
>>
>>I'm looking for some thing healthful that my family will eat in place
>>of candy bars. I don't care if it is a little more sugary than would
>>be optimal, but I don't want it loaded with trans- fat. Actually, I
>>don't want it loaded with any kind of fat other than what's in the
>>nuts and as little oil as I can use to keep them from tasting dry.
>>
>>Everybody like "Nature Valley® Chewy Trail Mix Fruit & Nut Bars" that
>>I buy at Sam's in big boxes for $7. But the boxes aren't *that* big,
>>and they go pretty fast. I was examining one yesterday and thought,
>>how
>>hard could it be to make something like that? Plus I could reduce the
>>sugar a little bit.
>>
>>Bob
>
>
> If you make them (toasted oats or not) like Rice Crispy bars, aren't you
> going to be using marshmallows or marshmallow creme (fluff) which is pretty
> much pure sugar? I'm not sure how that would benefit reduced sugar in the
> long run. They might taste good, though.
>
> Jill
>
>

Yes (sugar and gelatin.) Just enough melted marshmallows and margarine
to bind it all together. But I think it could be less sugary and less
greasy than commercial chewy granola bars in spite of the dubious
ingredients. It shouldn't take as much marshmallow and Smart Balance
margarine to bind the goodstuff together as it would honey and canola
oil, because the marshmallows are stickier and the margarine will harden.

I'm trying to think creatively here; work with me. :-)

Bob

jmcquown wrote:

> zxcvbob wrote:
>
>>Julia Altshuler wrote:
>>
>>>zxcvbob wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Do you think this would work?
>>>>
>>>>Most loose granola is very high in fat; some off-brand of granola
>>>>bars that I tried was full of hydrogenated fats (it even tasted
>>>>greasy.)
>>>>We like Nature Valley granola bars, but they are kinda expensive.
>>>>They are a little high in sugar, but that's not all *that* bad.
>>>>
>>>>I should be able to make something similar by making Rice Krispie
>>>>Treats substituting rolled oats for about 2/3 of the crisp rice
>>>>cereal. Then add a bunch of almonds, sunflower seeds, dried
>>>>cranberries, raisins, and toasted wheat germ. I think it might
>>>>work.
>>>>
>>>>Should I toast the oats, or just use them straight from the box?
>>>>Has anyone tried this before? Did it suck?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>I've made granola before. There's no particular recipe, just a
>>>combination of oats, honey or maple syrup, raisins and/or other dried
>>>fruits, nuts such as walnuts or peanuts, seeds like sunflower or
>>>sesame seeds, and oil or butter, all mixed together, spread on a
>>>cookie sheet and toasted in the oven. If you want to cut down on
>>>the fat, go easy on the oil or butter. If you're more comfortable
>>>with an exact recipe, you can google and find many.
>>>
>>>
>>>Is that your question, being able to reproduce commercial granola at
>>>home? Or were you asking about forming it into a bar for easy
>>>transport? Personally, I'd toss it loose into a plastic bag and eat
>>>it with a spoon, but if you want it hold together, you might
>>>experiment with a little more honey and compacting it before baking.
>>>
>>>
>>>--Lia
>>>
>>
>>
>>I'm looking for some thing healthful that my family will eat in place
>>of candy bars. I don't care if it is a little more sugary than would
>>be optimal, but I don't want it loaded with trans- fat. Actually, I
>>don't want it loaded with any kind of fat other than what's in the
>>nuts and as little oil as I can use to keep them from tasting dry.
>>
>>Everybody like "Nature Valley® Chewy Trail Mix Fruit & Nut Bars" that
>>I buy at Sam's in big boxes for $7. But the boxes aren't *that* big,
>>and they go pretty fast. I was examining one yesterday and thought,
>>how
>>hard could it be to make something like that? Plus I could reduce the
>>sugar a little bit.
>>
>>Bob
>
>
> If you make them (toasted oats or not) like Rice Crispy bars, aren't you
> going to be using marshmallows or marshmallow creme (fluff) which is pretty
> much pure sugar? I'm not sure how that would benefit reduced sugar in the
> long run. They might taste good, though.
>
> Jill
>
>

Yes (sugar and gelatin.) Just enough melted marshmallows and margarine
to bind it all together. But I think it could be less sugary and less
greasy than commercial chewy granola bars in spite of the dubious
ingredients. It shouldn't take as much marshmallow and Smart Balance
margarine to bind the goodstuff together as it would honey and canola
oil, because the marshmallows are stickier and the margarine will harden.

I'm trying to think creatively here; work with me. :-)

Bob

In article >,
zxcvbob > wrote:

> I'm looking for some thing healthful that my family will eat in place of
> candy bars. I don't care if it is a little more sugary than would be
> optimal, but I don't want it loaded with trans- fat. Actually, I don't
> want it loaded with any kind of fat other than what's in the nuts and as
> little oil as I can use to keep them from tasting dry.
>
> Everybody like "Nature Valley® Chewy Trail Mix Fruit & Nut Bars" that I
> buy at Sam's in big boxes for $7. But the boxes aren't *that* big, and
> they go pretty fast. I was examining one yesterday and thought, how
> hard could it be to make something like that? Plus I could reduce the
> sugar a little bit.


Bob,
when I go camping, I make "energy bars" for hikes. Basically, I mix
together unsalted nuts and seeds (smaller ones like peanuts*, almonds,
sunflower seeds, etc.) along with some toasted oatmeal (regular Quaker
Oats, not the instant, that I've put in the oven for a bit, until light
brown). I put raisins and pitted dates in a food processor and process
until I get a thick paste. The paste is combined with the dry mix, and
pressed into bars. At first, I did the bar-making by squeezing in my
hand, but now I put a piece of plastic wrap in... well, I don't recall
what it was meant for; it's a oval mold about 1.5" deep and about 2"x3".
I put some of the mix into it and press really hard, then wrap the rest
of the plastic around it and remove.

I had a couple leftover once and gave them to my niece and nephew; they
really liked them.

At first, I added some honey to the mix, but I found that the dates and
raisins by themselves made the bars sweet enough.


* yes, I know they're not nuts

--
to respond (OT only), change "spamless.invalid" to "optonline.net"

<http://www.thecoffeefaq.com/>

In article >,
zxcvbob > wrote:

> I'm looking for some thing healthful that my family will eat in place of
> candy bars. I don't care if it is a little more sugary than would be
> optimal, but I don't want it loaded with trans- fat. Actually, I don't
> want it loaded with any kind of fat other than what's in the nuts and as
> little oil as I can use to keep them from tasting dry.
>
> Everybody like "Nature Valley® Chewy Trail Mix Fruit & Nut Bars" that I
> buy at Sam's in big boxes for $7. But the boxes aren't *that* big, and
> they go pretty fast. I was examining one yesterday and thought, how
> hard could it be to make something like that? Plus I could reduce the
> sugar a little bit.


Bob,
when I go camping, I make "energy bars" for hikes. Basically, I mix
together unsalted nuts and seeds (smaller ones like peanuts*, almonds,
sunflower seeds, etc.) along with some toasted oatmeal (regular Quaker
Oats, not the instant, that I've put in the oven for a bit, until light
brown). I put raisins and pitted dates in a food processor and process
until I get a thick paste. The paste is combined with the dry mix, and
pressed into bars. At first, I did the bar-making by squeezing in my
hand, but now I put a piece of plastic wrap in... well, I don't recall
what it was meant for; it's a oval mold about 1.5" deep and about 2"x3".
I put some of the mix into it and press really hard, then wrap the rest
of the plastic around it and remove.

I had a couple leftover once and gave them to my niece and nephew; they
really liked them.

At first, I added some honey to the mix, but I found that the dates and
raisins by themselves made the bars sweet enough.


* yes, I know they're not nuts

--
to respond (OT only), change "spamless.invalid" to "optonline.net"

<http://www.thecoffeefaq.com/>

"zxcvbob" wrote
> Do you think this would work?
>
> Most loose granola is very high in fat; some off-brand of granola bars
> that I tried was full of hydrogenated fats (it even tasted greasy.) We
> like Nature Valley granola bars, but they are kinda expensive. They are a
> little high in sugar, but that's not all *that* bad.
>
> I should be able to make something similar by making Rice Krispie Treats
> substituting rolled oats for about 2/3 of the crisp rice cereal. Then add
> a bunch of almonds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, raisins, and
> toasted wheat germ. I think it might work.
>
> Should I toast the oats, or just use them straight from the box?
> Has anyone tried this before? Did it suck?
>
> Thanks, regards,
> Bob

Chewy Granola Bars (recipe from
http://southernfood.about.com/od/bac.../r/blbb277.htm )
a.. 1 1/2 cup Bisquick baking mix
b.. 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
c.. 1 cup packed brown sugar
d.. 1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
e.. 1 egg
f.. 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, mini chips, chopped dates, raisins,
or chopped nuts
Heat oven to 350°. Mix all except chips, raisins, or nuts with fork until
moistened. Mixture will be crumbly. Stir in chips, raisins, or nuts. Press
evenly into a lightly greasted 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking pan.
Bake until center is set, 15 to 17 minutes. Cut into bars, about 3 by 1 1/2
inches, while warm.
Makes about 24 bars

From same source---
a.. 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Bisquick
b.. 4 tablespoons dark raisins, divided
c.. 4 tablespoons chocolate chips, divided
d.. 1/2 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats, divided
e.. 1/3 cup sliced almonds, divided
f.. 3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar, divided
g.. 1/2 cup skim or nonfat milk
h.. 1/4 cup thawed frozen egg substitute
i.. 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons butter, melted
j.. 1 tablespoon toasted wheat germ
k.. 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 350°. In medium mixing bowl combine Bisquick, 2 tablespoons
raisins, 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, 1/4 cup oats, half of the almonds,
and 1 tablespoon sugar, stirring to combine.
Stir in milk and egg substitute. Spray an 8x8x2-inch nonstick baking pan
with nonstick cooking spray. Spread oat mixture in pan and set aside. In a
medium mixing bowl, combine remaining raisins, chocolate chips, oats,
almonds, sugar, the butter, wheat germ, and coconut. Sprinkle evenly over
oat mixture in the pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted
in the center comes out clean. Set pan on wire rack and let cool.

Cut into 8 granola bars.

Again, same source---
a.. 1 cup brown sugar
b.. 1/2 cup light corn syrup
c.. 1/2 cup melted margarine
d.. 2/3 cup peanut butter
e.. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
f.. 3 cups quick oats
g.. 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
h.. 1/2 cup coconut
i.. 1/3 cup wheat germ
j.. 1/2 cup raisins
k.. 1 cup carob chips
l.. other nuts/dried fruits
Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. In a
large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients and stir well. Stir in remaining
ingredients. You can add in whatever you want, so long as the mixture is
sticking together in several large clumps. Press the mixture into the baking
pan using your fingers. Bake at 350° for 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown.
Cool completely and cut into bars.
Pam

On 12/17/2004, zxcvbob wrote:
> Do you think this would work?
>
> Most loose granola is very high in fat; some off-brand of granola bars
> that I tried was full of hydrogenated fats (it even tasted greasy.) We
> like Nature Valley granola bars, but they are kinda expensive. They are
> a little high in sugar, but that's not all *that* bad.
>
> I should be able to make something similar by making Rice Krispie Treats
> substituting rolled oats for about 2/3 of the crisp rice cereal. Then
> add a bunch of almonds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, raisins, and
> toasted wheat germ. I think it might work.
>
> Should I toast the oats, or just use them straight from the box?
> Has anyone tried this before? Did it suck?
>
> Thanks, regards,
> Bob


Well, I tried it today, and it was a success. DD really liked the
sunflower seeds in it. Next time, it needs more dried fruit, and maybe
some wheat germ or grated coconut. And I might toast the almonds when I
toast the oats. I think you could use butter and real vanilla without
ruining them :-)

Bob's Fruit and Nut Bars

1/4 cup margarine
30 to 32 large marshmallows (half a bag)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I used imitation)
1 cup almond kernals
1/2 cup roasted salted sunflower kernals
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
3/4 cup raisins
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3 cups crispy rice cereal

Toast the oats in a 300 degree oven for about 20 or 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the margarine in the microwave in a very large bowl.
Add the marshmallows and toss to coat with the melted margarine. Zap
for about a minute to melt the marshmallows (they will puff up really
big), add the vanilla, and stir them down. Stir in the fruit and nuts.
Stir in the [still hot] rolled oats. Lastly, add the rice. Mix
thoroughly. Press into a glass 13x9" lasagna pan and let it cool until
set and no longer sticky. Cut into bars.

Best regards,
Bob

Thanks for the report.

I made Granolla for gift baskets, and can now produce the recipe while
sleeping.
One recipe yields not quite two quarts. Or was it more than two?
Don't remember - I was asleep.

I looked at the ingredients on a hard granolla bar and was surprised to
find several nut flours listed.
Bet they help hold things together.