It's my life ....: Not about "Climate Change"

I'm listening to talk radio as I type up this blog. There's a record breaking blizzard in the northeast and of course, "global warming" is a hot topic right now.
Well, this blog is NOT about global war....er...climate change(?).
And aren't YOU glad about that!?

Now, on to more enjoyable things......
So, I did some cooking the other day.
Just a simple little recipe with just a few simple ingredients......

Ok, ok. I know it looks complicated but it's fun, creative and yummy! Since I first made these a few weeks ago, we eat them every single day. It's great with the morning coffee or as an afternoon snack (with the afternoon coffee). You can't beat these ingredients. Don't forget to keep them stored in the fridge or freezer. I will carry one in my bag all day long when I'm at school so I don't think they are too perishable.

Based on Jo-Ann's Power Bars recipe
on allrecipes.com.

Ingredients
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour-
you could use 1/2 protein powder if you have some.
1/2 cup wheat and barley nugget cereal (e.g. Grape-Nuts™)-
I've also added ground flax seed.
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon-
I always add more and it's still never too much.
1 beaten egg-
I might leave out the yolk next time.
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons brown sugar -
I use less, depends on the sweetness of the other mix-ins I add.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil-
I don't use oil. I just up the applesauce amount.
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds-
I've also added buckwheat-it's crunchy and high fiber!
1/4 cup chopped walnuts-
or whole almonds is great!
1 (7 ounce) bag chopped dried mixed fruit-
I used fresh shredded coconut, chocolate chips, & chopped dates in the batch pictured below. I've made a batch with big, plump golden raisins, dried pineapple, dried dates and white chocolate chips (and a touch of almond extract)! That batch was so moist! I cut these into bars and freeze them in quart sized bags. We LOVE these! You can't go wrong with this recipe. I've added peanut butter or almond butter and jelly (used less applesauce). Chocolate is a must for us. If you like coconut, it adds wonderful flavor.

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a 9 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, cereal, and cinnamon. Add the egg, applesauce, honey, brown sugar, and oil. Mix well. Stir in the sunflower seeds, walnuts, and dried fruit. Spread mixture evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake 30 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned around the edges. Let cool. Use the foil to lift from the pan. Cut into bars or squares, and store in the refrigerator.

I guess I could show them cut up into bars, but I just don't have a picture of that.

Ginger, I hope you make these! :)

Another recipe I'm excited about is
Herbed Butter Crackers.
I never, ever, ever imagined I could make my own crackers!
Then I discovered this wonderful blog, Finding Joy in my Kitchen, that continues to thrill me with each recipe. She even has a recipe to make English Muffins! Hello!

Can you tell I love my breads?

So, I made the recipe and of course had to add stuff because that's just how I cook. Variety is truely the spice of life! Here you can see the ground flax seeds and maybe some sunflower seeds.