Today, I thought I would share a delicious granola bar made without any nuts or nut butters. Perfect for the school age child that may need a peanut-free snack…or anyone else that just loves granola bars, like me! 🙂
I added pepitas and sunflower seeds for added nutrition and crunch. Dark chocolate chips are an optional add in. I used a small amount of golden syrup as the ‘glue’. Lyle’s Golden Syrup can be found in most grocery stores in the baking section. The Monash app cut off for golden syrup is 1/2 tablespoon per serving.
Today is Tuesday which means one thing for me…it’s a school day! I am loving my new course work in the study of epidemiology. Today’s class focuses on psych-social epidemiology so I am learning about mental health issues and their prevalence. I absolutely love learning…so a school day is a good day. 🙂 I hope you have something to look forward to today as well!
It’s important to balance work with play, right? So…last weekend, Russ, my son, Kevin and my in-laws, Tony and Mickie drove up to Lincoln, New Hampshire to check out the Ice Castles. It was a cool ‘exhibit’…and nice to get away and spend time with family! You can go during the day or evening. We opted for to go at night to see the lights inside the ice!
On another note, I have been working on final edits for my upcoming book, The Low FODMAP Diet Step by Step, available now for pre-order! You will love the yummy recipes in this one. What I really like about this book is its tone. Emphasizing the ‘can do’ attitude and not overwhelming the reader is so important when it comes to the low FODMAP diet. I mean, really, its hard enough just dealing with IBS! Adding a complex diet to the mix can feel overwhelming. But, I really think my upcoming book is done in a low key but comprehensive way to make low FODMAPing easier. It will arrive at stores late summer 2017!
Lastly, I have decided to start a youtube channel. In the same, low key way…I have partnered with my colleague, Toni Fiori, RDN to provide some informative videos on digestive health topics. I will be sure to let you know when I post the videos. And…if you check out the videos…would love feedback and topic ideas from all of you.
Oat, Seed and Chocolate Granola Bars
Ingredients
- Serves 12
- 2 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 2/3 cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
- 1/4 cup golden syrup
- 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, rough chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line 8 x 8 square pan with parchment paper, with a slight 1/2 inch overhang of the paper on two sides. (This allows you to pull out the mixture easily for cutting the bars)
- In food processor fit with steel blade, add rolled oats and lightly pulse to create a rough chopped oat flake (do not blend into a flour consistency!)
- In medium bowl, add oats and the rest of the ingredients.
- Stir to blend.
- Add mixture to square pan and press mixture very firmly into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool slightly. Then place in refrigerator to further set the bars.
- When fully cooled. Cut bars into 12 bars.
- Wrap each bar with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator, where they will be more firm.
- (Bars will become more pliable when in room temperature.)
- Enjoy!
melanie gerhart
is there anything you can use in place of the golden syrup? maple syrup? Nut butter?
Beth
yes, I’d like to know too. I have no idea what store around here that carries that.
katescarlata
Try the maple syrup–but I find the granola bars are more crumbly. Perhaps add a egg white?
Megan King
Your enthusiastic and even excited mindset toward your class puts my less than excited attitude toward mine in perspective. I need to stop being a grumpus and get motivated and excited! It is a privilege to learn and grow. I am taking Issues and Current Trends in Dietetics- last class in my Master’s program!
Oh, and can’t wait for the youtube videos!
katescarlata
Just seeing this Megan….I am sure you are ready to be done with your degree….I am just starting so my motivation and enthusiasm is at an all time peak! Be easy on yourself….and good for you for getting a Master’s degree. And please let me know what you think of the videos…I value your input!
Beth
what are you majoring in? What do you want to do with it? You are already an rd, right?
katescarlata
Master’s in Public Health….not sure, but hope to be involved in the research end of IBS perhaps–and also involved in prevention–many with IBS have what is known as post infectious IBS–from food borne illness. We all need to be talking about ways to avoid food borne illness. BUT really, I just love learning. And yes, I am already a registered dietitian–with about 30 years of experience–which is hard to believe.
Jan
I wondered about golden syrup, too. I googled it and found a hive ( see history of the brand ) of information on Lyle’s golden syrup. Many specialty food shops carry it. There is no real substitute for it either since it has a distinct flavor. Of course, no such luck in my little town but I did find something I did use at WF. It is an organic pure cane liquid sweetener with the consistency of syrup. The ingredient is Organic cane sugar syrup. Is it fodmaps legal, I don’t know. But I did compare ingredients from one to the other and nothing glaring stood out. They both are made from sugar and water, Lyle’s may have some lemon. So I did use it for this recipe and as of this minute, all is well digestively. I will get Lyle’s one day…..
I cut the bars and wrapped them individually, then zip locked them and stashed them in the freezer. They are very tasty and satisfy that “give me chocolate and no one gets hurt” moment. This recipe helps to not feel so limited.
There is a recipe on the Food website to make a golden syrup, too.
katescarlata
Thanks for sharing –I think the cane sugar syrup should be okay–in small doses–and sounds like that using it –worked well for you. YAY!
Jerilyn
Hi, if you don’t have a food processor, would substituting quick oats for the rolled oats work? It seems by your description that by using the food processor to the degree you want for the recipe, quick oats by nature achieve almost the same flake consistency. Thank you.
katescarlata
Hi Jerilyn, Quick oats might just work–they are smaller and easier to mix in–worth a try!
Jan
The cane syrup worked with no digestive problems but the good news for all those searching for the real deal is I found it at Fresh Market. What was the difference? Lyle’s Golden syrup has a much richer taste, almost like caramel flavoring. It is so worth it to use it if you can find it.
I have gone on to make this recipe 6 times and it has morphed just a bit. I now double it because often this becomes breakfast with a cup of tea. I also have added at 2 TB of chia seeds, 1/4 cup of peanut butter and 1/4 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut flakes. I added the peanut butter to aid in holding it all together.
( I tried almond butter but it bothered me with indigestion type feelings and tummy grumbles. I looked it up on the App but couldn’t find information on almond butter. I have never really liked almonds anyway.)
Melt the peanut butter, then combine with the oil and syrup and mix well, then add to dry ingredients. After all ingredients are combined, I let it rest 5 – 10 minutes to let the dry ingredients absorb the liquids. I learned from years of gluten free baking that a rest period greatly improves the final product. I find that really packing it in the baking pan ( I use the bottom of a measuring cup ) helps to keep the shape.
I think this particular recipe has made a positive difference with added fiber and prebiotic oatmeal action. I have my follow up visit this week. Gastro life is so much better than a month ago. My tummy is quiet, there are no MBI (messy bathroom incidents), I am not hungry and I lost 6 pounds. I don’t have that always running in the background anxiety because of possible digestive misbehavior. I feel better! Win-win! Thank you Kate for all you do.
Elisabeth Lane
Lyle’s Golden Syrup is available on Amazon. It’s even cheaper than at my local store.