Replacing A Staple: Bars

And I don't mean the drinking kind! One of the most difficult processed foods for me to give up is the bar, as in the granola or energy varieties. In particular Kashi's TLC bars and Cliff's Luna bars. Although of the gamut of bars available these are probably among the mildest offenders, they both still contain soy derivatives, which I am trying to avoid. They're just so handy - a great afternoon or pre-workout snack, or even a breakfast on the go. So today, I attempted my own version, loosely based on a recipe I borrowed from an ad for egg whites. Overall, for taste they were there, but as for holding together, not quite. I used ground flaxseed mixed with water to replace the eggwhites but next time I'll either go for the eggwhites or add more of the flaxseed substitute.

Here's the recipe I followed (and the original one if you're interested http://www.betterneggs.com/recipes/recipeView.cfm?RecipeID=0132&mcid=1):

4 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1 bar dark (72%) chocolate, coarsely chopped (47g)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup canola oil

3 tablespoons water with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
Yields 27 at 135 calories; Baking instructions same as recipe link above