Cinnamon-Cranberry Oat Bars
Calories 299 (19% from fat)
Fat 6 gram
Saturated Fat 0.5 gram
Trans Fat 0 gram
Cholesterol 0 mg.
Sodium 40 mg.
Carb. 60 gram
Fiber 5 gram
Sugar 17 gram
Sugar Alcohol 15.5 gram
Protein 4.5 gram
Ingredients
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 cups rice crisps
(We used One Degree Organic Foods Brown Rice Crisps.)
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup whole ground flaxseed meal
1 tsp. cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, ground
1/2 cup sugar free brown sugar
(We used Swerve Brown Zero Calorie Sweetener.)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1/4 cup sugar free honey
(We used Honey Tree's Sugar Free Imitation Honey.)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
TOPPING
2 tsp. Splenda or other non-nutritive sweetener
1/4 tsp. cinnamon, ground
Three of the sweeteners in this recipe are sugar-free. One of them isn't, and it's the one holding the whole thing together
Here's why I left it in.
Corn syrup is straight sugar, but it's also the binder. Sugar-free sweeteners don't behave the same way when they cool, and without something that sets up sticky, you don't get a bar. You get a bowl of loose oats and a lot of disappointment..
Compared to the version I started with, these bars have a third fewer calories and half the sugar. Just two hours in the refrigerator and they're ready to eat.
1. Lightly coat an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with buttery cooking spray and set it aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the quick-cooking oats, rice crisps, dried cranberries, flaxseed meal, cinnamon and nutmeg until evenly mixed.
3. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar free brown sugar, light corn syrup, canola oil and sugar free honey, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
5. Pour the syrup over the oat mixture and stir until everything is thoroughly coated, then press it firmly and evenly into the prepared pan.
6. Mix the Splenda and the 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon together and sprinkle it evenly over the top.
7. Refrigerate 2-5 hours until completely cool and firm, then cut into 9 bars.
Yield: 9 Servings
