Cooking Done Light

These nutty, chewy chocolate chip oatmeal squares are the ultimate in healthy, portable snacking. Not only are they extremely yummy, low in calories, and low in fat – they are actually good for you. The ingredients offer a host of nutritional benefits, and unlike store bought snack bars, they contain no preservatives, funny chemicals, hydrogenated fats, or artificial ingredients. You can feel free to snack with abandon!! Just be fair and share them with the kids (or make a double batch and have a stash all to yourself)! Snacking on healthy foods in between meals is a great way to prevent overeating at meal time due to being ravenous – and these snack bars are sure to satisfy without causing any sugar highs or energy slumps. You can store them in an air-tight container either on the counter or in the fridge and they will stay fresh for over a week – but I can almost guarantee you that they won’t last long enough to worry about them getting stale!

1 cup Grape Nuts type cereal (like seven in the morning cereal, etc)

3/4 cup oats (I use old-fashioned, but quick oats would work)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

1 1/2 tablespoons wheat germ

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts

1/2 cup mixed dried fruit (raisins, cherries, apricots, etc), chopped

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

6 ounces nonfat yogurt (plain or flavored)

1 large egg

1 additional egg white

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Combine cereal, oats, whole wheat flour, flax seeds, wheat germ, nuts, fruit, chocolate chips, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Pour or spoon the mixture into the prepared dish and bake for 20-25 minutes. Once they have cooled slightly, cut into 12 squares, and allow them to finish cooling before removing them from the baking dish.

Makes 12 servings (squares). Per square: 138 calories, 3.5 g total fat, less than 1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 21 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 7 g sugar (mostly naturally occurring sugar from the dried fruit), 6.5 g protein, 109 mg sodium, 12 mg cholesterol