This week the CEimB group is making something good and guilt free. That’s not unusual but we have been kind of stuck in a dinner/salad rut lately so these little goody bars were perfect. We were ready for them.
The pick by Heide of Chez Zero who is one busy lady, was just what Ted and I wanted after the holiday plates of overly sweet treats. If Heide doesn’t have the recipe up yet, you can find it HERE. My version is below.
Walnut and Dried Cherry Bars – Joanne’s version should read “Chocolate and Dried Cherry Bars”
There were 4 ingredient changes I made to the recipe.
1. Quick cooking oats. I used Eco-Planet Organics 7 Whole Grain Gluten Free Cereal.
Why? Because I didn’t like this cereal as a breakfast option so I thought it would work well in these bars. It’s “instant” so it met the “quick-cooking” requirement. The nutrition was appealing, which is why I bought it in the first place:
Per 40 g – 1 serving
Calories: 145 Fat 3 g Carbohydrates: 25g Fiber 6g Sugars 1 g and Protein 6g.
The ingredients: All organic… rolled oats, puffed amaranth, chicory root powder, flaxseed flour, chia flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, quinoa flour, buckwheat flour, and millet flour.
2. Instead of whole wheat flour, I used brown rice flour to keep it gluten free.
3. Wheat germ. Didn’t have any. I used cocoa. That’s where the “Chocolate” comes from.
4. Honey. I cut the honey in half and used ¼ cup (instead of ½ cup) plus ¼ cup maple syrup.
Makes 15 bars/squares
· 1 cup 7 Whole Grain Gluten Free Instant Cereal
· ¾ cup Brown Rice Flour
· ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
· 1 tsp cinnamon
· ¼ tsp salt
· ¼ cup honey
· ¼ cup maple syrup
· 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
· ¼ cup canola oil
· 1 egg
· 1 egg white
· ¾ cup dried cherries
· ½ cup chopped walnuts
· ¼ cup fruit only apricot preserves – melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the cereal, flour, cocoa, cinnamon and salt.
In another bowl, mix the honey, maple syrup, applesauce, oil, egg, egg white until combined. Stir in the dry mixture until well combined. Add the cherries and nuts.
Spray an 8” square baking pan with non-stick spray and spread mixture in the pan. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes.
Heat the preserves in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute (depending on your microwave oven power), stir, then brush over the cooked bars while warm. Let cook then ENJOY!
I snacked on 2 squares and haven’t seen the rest of them since. Guess they were a big hit with SOMEONE in the house.
Isn’t funny when the treats “mysteriously” disappear? That happens in my house ALL THE TIME. 🙂
Unfortunately if it’s not Ted that makes them vanish, everyone knows who did…Shane doesn’t jump up on counter tops…wish he did. 😉
I completely forgot to cook with Ellie this week! We have had extreme weather here and I have not been able to even grocery shop. Of course, my allergy to oats would have prevented me making this one the original way. Here in the south we are not equipped for ice on the roads. It is just nasty. Five days and counting. Your bars look delicious.
Well, I’m starting to see a pattern here. You’re the third person I’ve seen (including myself) that has incorporated chocolate into her bar somehow. I love the idea of adding the cocoa powder; it really gives the bar an all-over chocolatey flavor. I just threw in chopped semisweet chips. I’ll definitely have to try your variation now! They look divine!
These look great, I am passing this on to a friend of mine with gluten issues. Thanks.
Ellie should have thought of the chocolate. Surprised she didn’t . It sure appealed to me more than the wheat germ.
I’ve heard about all that nasty stuff. My parents were lucky since they are in SC, they didn’t get it so bad.
Ellie left the chocolate out just for me!! 😉 I figured you would all find a way to slip some chocolate in these bars, as I have seen you all up to these tricks before over here! Not being a chocolate fan whatsoever, I am taking exception to the subbing of CHOCOLATE for WHEAT GERM…LOL LOL LOL. You crack me up. Happy to hear they were appreciated!