Tag Archives: oats

Grandma Lee’s No-Bake Bars

Today I had my first meeting with my new clinical team. I wanted to make a sweet treat but didn’t want to turn on the oven. It was 88 degrees in my house! I haven’t turned on the air … yet.

I have been wanting to make Grandma Lee’s recipe for a while now. She used to prepare it for the school where she was employed as head cook. I can remember growing up and going to visit her at work. She’d always sneak me a cookie and some milk when I visited with grandpa. Grandma also always stored these in the freezer as well, so when we’d go visit her at home she never let us go with a cookie for the road.

This recipe can be made into cookies or bars. I was pressed for time; therefore, went on the safe side and made bars.

Yields: 24 bars

Ingredients:

1/2 cup, 1 stick unsalted butter (grandma uses salted, I just used a pinch of kosher with the unsalted butter)

1/2 cup (fat free half & half) grandma uses whole milk

1 cup natural creamy peanut butter

4 Tablespoons cocoa powder ( I prefer penzeys)

1 1/2 cups quick oats

1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (grandma uses all quick oats)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

9 by 13 pan & lined with Parchment paper

Directions:

1. Take a medium sauce pan on medium heat and add first 4 ingredients and bring to a boil.

2. Once the sauce boils, allow to boil for two minutes & then remove from heat and add oats and vanilla.

3. Incorporate the oats into the melted mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Even out the batter with a rubber spatula. Cover with sealable container or foil. Store on the counter. Do not refrigerator.

4. Allow to harden, I waited overnight. Use the parchment paper to pull the bars out of the pan and on a cutting board, cut the bars into even pieces.

As pictured Recipe yields 24 bars.

If you decide to go the cookie route, this recipe will yield 30 to 36 cookies using a size 40 scooper. I would recommend dropping them on wax paper and letting them sit before storing them in a sealable container.

Enjoy !

Whole Grain Raisin Oat Bars

I love baking… I know no surprise! Today I was reviewing my food network magazine September 2015 edition and came across the 50 bars insert. I must say I adore the inserts of 50 recipes of a specific item!! I couldn’t wait to try one …. Okay so I tried two tonight. I did some mods to the oat bars (#15) and this is what I came up with.

Pre-directions preheat oven to 350 in line a glass 9 by 13 baking dish with foil. Set aside.

This recipe yields 18 bars

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of rolled oats (not instant)

1 1/2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 teaspoon of baking powder

2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter softened

1/2 a cup of unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup Canola oil

2 eggs

2 cups of raisins

3/4 cup of brown sugar (not packed)

3/4 cup of granulated sugar

Directions:

1. In a stand mixture cream together, butter, applesauce, vanilla, and canola oil with both sugars.

2. Decrease mixer to low and add in rolled oats, flour, salt, and baking powder. Also add eggs at this time adding one egg at a time.

3. Finally add in raisins and mix one last time until all raisins are well incorporated.

4. Place batter in prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven an allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Oatmeal Raisin bars

We had our monthly NST meeting today. I decided to make some whole grain oatmeal bars for the meeting since these are super quick and easy. They are also perfect for an after lunch snack! They remind me of an oatmeal raisin cookie but without the butter !

Yields 20 bars

Ingredients

2 TB Ground flaxseed

2/3 cup raw sugar

1 TB pure maple syrup

1/2 tsp allspice

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup 100% quick oats

1 cup 100% old fashioned oats

1/4 c canola oil

1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

1 c whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup of raisins

9 by 13 baking dish

Parchment paper

Cooking spray
Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees and parchment line a 9 x 13″ baking pan. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a large bowl mix together with whisk both oats, flour, flaxseed, sugar, allspice, baking soda, & salt . Add applesauce, maple syrup, canola oil, and mix to incorporate.

3. Lastly fold in raisins. Pour batter into 9 x 13 pan and press the batter into the pan evenly. It helps to spray a spatula with cooking spray to prevent sticking and smooth the bars prior to placing in the oven.

4. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Enjoy! I know my husband and the team did!

Ginger Oatmeal Raisin Bars

These are a sample of whole grain goodness. My kitchen smells amazing while these are baking in the oven!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans or slivered almonds (I used a combo since I had some roasted pecans leftover from another baked good)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup raw sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 TB crystallized ginger

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1 1/3 cup 100% old fashioned oats

1 TB honey

1 tsp good quality vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

8 by 8 glass baking dish

Parchment paper

This recipe yields 8 bars or 9 squares

Directions:

1. Whisk together oil, honey, sugar, flaxseed,egg,extracts in a large bowl. Mix well to incorporate. Add in flour, salt, soda, and oats. Use spatula to incorporate the dry ingredients throughout. Fold in raisins and nuts.

2. Place parchment paper into baking vessel. Pour batter evenly (it will be thick pasty like) into dish press with spatula.

3. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes befor cutting into bars.

4. Enjoy!

Banana Oat Cookies

I picked up a 1970’s cookie cookbook at a local loved flea market. I was reviewing the recipes this past weekend. I found many that peaked my interest. I found one in particular that I just couldn’t wait to try since I have an abundance of ripe bananas. I made many modifications to make the recipe more up to date and less sugar and transfat. I also added more whole grains as well. These cookies are crisp on the outside and light and fluffy in the inside.
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 3/4 cup 100% old fashioned oats

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 chopped walnuts

2 TB grounded flaxseed

1 egg

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground vietnesse cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place parchment paper on 1/2 sheet pan and set aside.

2. In a medium to large bowl, mash bananas, coconut oil, and canola oil together. Add vanilla and egg to mix & whisk to incorporate. Set aside

3. In a separate medium bowl whisk together oats, flaxseed, flour, salt, soda, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet batter. Use spatula to fully incorporate the ingredients together leaving no dry residue. Lastly fold in walnuts until evenly distributed thought cookie batter.

4. Using a number 60 scoop portion out cookies 12 to 14 to a pan. Place the pan in oven for 10 minutes or until cookies form a light golden color on the exterior.

5. Remove from the pan immediately and cool the cookies on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Crunchy Peanut Butter Oat Bars

Today we had our Quarterly NST meeting and I had to come up with a quick snack for our 12:00 o’clock meeting to fuel the team. I love these diverse bars. You can add whatever you have on hand. They are quick to make but quick to be gone as well. Bonus they are no bake.

Yields: 18 bars

Ingredients:

1.5 cups 100% quick oats

1.5 cups brown puffed rice

1/4 cup raw sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp Mexican vanilla extract

1/8 kosher salt

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 TB milled flaxseed

Pre directions: foil line a 9 by 13 and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

Directions:

1. Place puffed rice, oats, peanuts, flaxseed

and mini chocolate chips in a medium bowl.

2. In a seperate large bowl add peanut butters, honey and raw sugar. Microwave for 1 minute and stir about half way through and continue to heat mixture.

3. Add the vanilla and stir. Add in dry ingredients. Stir to combine.

4. Once throughly mixed pour mixture into the foil lined pan.

5. Spread evenly into pan with spatula.

6. Cover and let set overnight in refrigerator to set.

7. Lift bars out of the pan by foil and set on cuting board and cut into 18 bars.

Enjoy!

Whole Grain Oat Rhubarb Cookies

My husband and I have oodles of rhubarb this time of year. We were in the mood for some cookies. I adapted this recipe from the TOH website to cut down on the saturated fat.

Yields 32 cookies using a size 60 scoop. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 13 minutes.

Ingredients :
3/4 cup raw sugar
1/2 canola oil
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg or 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup fresh rhubarb (patted dry)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground Vietnamese cinnamon
A pinch of nutmeg
1 1/4 cup 100% old fashioned oats
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

Directions:
Line half sheet pans with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix canola oil, and sugar together well. Than add egg and vanilla together whisk to incorporate.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, oats, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg.

Whisk to incorporate all dry ingredients together well. Add the dry ingredients into the wet.

Mix with spatula to incorporate.

Add chopped rhubarb, cranberries and white chips fold into cookie batter.

Use a number 60 scoop to measure out into perfect size cookies. Please keep in mind they are very wet and may want to fall apart but will bake just fine.

Bake for 12 to 13 minutes. The rhubarb makes these pretty moist. I let them sit on the pan for about a minute before letting the cool off on wire rack.

Once the cookies are cooled if you wish drizzle them with some melted white chocolate for a special touch.

Place 2/3 cup white chocolate in microwave keep heating by 30 second sections until melted. Place in a squeeze bottle and make zig zag marking!

Enjoy!

No bake peanut butter puffed brown rice granola bars

Tomorrow is our dietetic intern and my mentee’s last day at our facility. I cannot believe another dietetic intern group is graduating. Yikes ! Times flys!! I wanted to celebrate with a nice nutrition dense snack filled with peanut butter, slivered almonds, oats and brown puffed rice to get us through another busy Friday!

This recipe yields 12 to 16 bars

Ingredients:
1.5 cups of whole grain puffed rice
1 cup of old fashioned oats
1/2 cup of instant quick oats
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp vanilla high quality
1 cup of peanut butter or almond bitter
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup local honey
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips semi sweet
Cooking spray

1. Foil line and cooking spray a 8 by 8 inch baking dish. Set aside.

2. Place oats, almonds, chocolate chips,& puffed rice in a large bowl. Set aside.

3. In a microwavable safe glass dish portion out the peanut butter,honey, and sugar.

Microwave on high for one minute. Mix with spatula to combined.

Place the peanut butter batter back in the microwave for another minute. Remove from microwave and mix and vanilla.

Pour the hot liquid batter over the dry ingredients.

Using a spatula fold the ingredients together until well incorporated and no signs of dry residue.

Pour the combined batter into the cooking sprayed baking dish and press with spatula to form even top to the bars

Cover with plastic wrap and let the bars refrigerate overnight. Remove from pan using the foil to lift.

Cut into bars.

Enjoy ! They don’t last long …. They go quickly!

Chocolate Hazelnut Oat Bars

Mix together with a whisk the hazelnut spread, vanilla, canola oil, flaxseed and egg substitute until well blended . >

Heath No Bake Granola Bars

We had a lunch and learn today and I always try to make a special treat for my co-workers. I made these bars in a pinch at 9:45 last night. This has to be the easiest, quickest bar I have ever made! The honey flavor really shines through!

This recipe yields 18 bars

Ingredients:
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup unpack brown sugar
1 cup of quick oats
1 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup of crispy rice cereal preferably brown rice
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 TB chopped Heath Candy bar

Directions:

1. Line 8x 8″ glass or metal dish with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray to coat the foil to prevent sticking.

2. Place on medium heat a 2 quart sauce pan, add canola oil, honey, and brown sugar.

3. Heat liquid mixture until bubbles appear then reduce heat to low and cook for 2 additional minutes.

3. While the liquid mixture cooks combine dry ingredients ( except for Heath Chips) into a large bowl.

4. Remove liquid mixture from heat and add vanilla. Stir honey mixture into dry ingredients using spatula.

5. Press the batter into the pan evenly.

6. Sprinkle the Heath chips evenly on top of the bars and press the chips down with a spatula.

7. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours to overnight. Remove from the pan. Cut into 18 bars.

Enjoy!

A Pinch of Luv

from scratch baking and cooking blog

Tag Archives: oats

Grandma Lee’s No-Bake Bars

Whole Grain Raisin Oat Bars

Oatmeal Raisin bars

Ginger Oatmeal Raisin Bars

Banana Oat Cookies

Crunchy Peanut Butter Oat Bars

Whole Grain Oat Rhubarb Cookies

No bake peanut butter puffed brown rice granola bars

Chocolate Hazelnut Oat Bars

Heath No Bake Granola Bars