Monday's Meal

For those of you who have been making resolutions, this granola bar might be a recipe for you. These are also great for lunch boxes. They are fairly nutritious and, according to the original recipe, when made with raisins they are 150 calories a bar. Of course, we usually make them with chocolate chips so I can't say that of our version. But you can use anything you'd like and make them to your family's taste. They tend to be somewhat crumbly unless you press them together really well or just ever so slightly reduce the oats so that the sticky stuff has less to hold together. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Granola bars

2 1/4 cups oats (quick or regular)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
5 tablespoons softened margarine
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup additions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly coat an 8 inch by 8 inch pan with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir until well blended.
Press mixture into pan. (A good way to do this is to lay a piece of waxed paper on top and use your hand to press it into the pan as tightly as possible.) Bake 18 to 22 minutes until golden brown.
Cool 10 minutes and cut into bars. Makes 16 bars.

Additions can be anything you'd like. Some suggestions are: chocolate, butterscotch or peanut butter chips, raisins or other dried fruits, chopped nuts, sunflower seeds, cranberries, dates, or even things like M & M's.