Coconut Granola Bars
Recipe by Martha Rose Shulman, the author of The Very Best of Recipes for Health.
Yield: 20 pieces
Ingredients
1/4 cup canola oil, plus additional for the pan and for your hands
7 ounces (2 cups) rolled oats
1 1/2 ounces (1 heaped cup) flaked coconut
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 cup mild honey, like clover
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounces (1 cup) lightly toasted nuts, like almonds and pecans, coarsely chopped
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the oats in a bowl and toss with the oil until thoroughly coated. Line a baking sheet or pan with parchment and spread the oats in an even layer on the parchment. Place in the oven and toast for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the grains are lightly toasted. They should have darkened slightly and should smell toasty. Remove from the oven, return to the bowl, and add the coconut, spices, salt and nuts. Stir together. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees.
Place the honey and vanilla in a saucepan or container that can accommodate at least three times the volume of the honey, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the oat mixture. Stir until the oat mixture is evenly coated with honey.
Oil a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan and line with parchment. Oil the parchment. Scrape the granola mixture into the pan and spread in an even layer. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, until just golden. Do not allow to become too brown, or the bars will be too hard. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely, then cut into 2-inch squares. Some of the mixture may crumble when you do this, but crumbles are tasty little morsels! Store in a tin or container.
Advance preparation: These will keep for a week but will become more sticky, especially in a humid environment.
Nutritional information per serving
138 calories
2 grams saturated fat
2 grams polyunsaturated fat
4 grams monounsaturated fat
0 milligrams cholesterol
16 grams carbohydrates
2 grams dietary fiber
1 milligram sodium
3 grams protein.
