The Hubs and I are making a Memorial Day trek to my parents' house, far, far from the city. We are loading up our little car with the dogs, enough food to feed them for several days, and a restock of the coffee my dad likes. Given the size of the dogs, the amount of food they eat every day, and the size of our car, there really isn't much room left for the Hubs and I to bring along necessities. That makes bringing along alternatives to the available road-food a little tricky. We don't have the luxury of packing a cooler full of good food. So I thought that I'd give granola bars a try. These seemed like a good blend of sweet with a little savory and they were pretty quick to make (I adapted them from a recipe I found on the Food Network's website).
This winter (ok, really since Thanksgiving) I've been working on my mom (known here and the world at large as Bob) trying to talk her into putting in a vegetable garden. My Bob and dad have a ton of land and my Bob, as a teacher, has the summer to work in a garden. I've been talking to her about the need for local food that is organically and sustainably grown. About the importance of reconnecting with the land (although, for the longest time she maintained that she mowed enough lawn to be really and truly connected). After much talking/cajoling/harassing/encouraging and a little uninvited sending of seed catalogs to her house, Bob agreed. On one condition. I had to put my money where my mouth is. So, the Hubs and I and the doggers are heading to Bob and dad's house this long weekend so that I can help Bob put in her garden and this Labor Day we'll be heading back again to help with the harvesting and processing. It seemed like a fair deal to me.
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup flake coconut
2/3 cup chopped dried cherries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup whole wheat white flour
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a glass 9 x 9 baking pan with cooking spray. Whisk together the egg, egg white, sugar, oil, salt, and spices. Then add the chopped nuts, fruit and coconut. Finally stir in the rolled oats and the flour. When the mixture is thoroughly mixed (it is a pretty wet mixture) transfer it to the baking pan and press it in well. Bake for 30 minutes. Let the bars cool and then cut into serving pieces. Store in an air-tight container. Bon Appetit!
Makes 9
7 Additional Thoughts:
Good luck with the digging. Are you buying plants already sprouted? For some things, it may be late for seeds.
My Bob worked out a work/space sharing arrangement with a local greenhouse owner. So she has plants already sprouted and ready to go into the ground.
I've been thinking about making some granola bars myself. All the normal stuff you buy at the store has soy so the tiny tyke can't share in their yummy goodness.
Also, love the whole Mom Bob thing going on. Is there an amusing back story?
The Mom-Bob thing is a hold over from when I was little and had bad allergies/sinus congestion. All of my "m's" sounded like "b's". And Bob just stuck.
Hope you have a good trip..
also I thought that I had been following you but i don't show up as one of your followers...hmm, I'm going to try again.
ok now i'm there...weird.
I was the lucky recipient of the leftover granola bars when Kristin and Mike arrived here, and I can attest that they're wonderful! They're fairly sweet, but the cherries are tart, so it's a nice combination. Great with a cup of tea!
I'm already thinking of all the ways I can change them 'round with different nut and fruit combinations.
~Bob~
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