Ditch the store-bought snacks and make a batch of these low fat granola bars. Lower in sugar and fat, but with plenty of flavor.
From all of your responses to Recipes for Good Healthy and Weight Loss in 2012, it sounds as though many of you are dedicated to either continuing healthy habits or creating some new ones. I alluded to a weight loss journey I have been on over the past several months and will be giving you tips and tricks that have worked for me. Let's start with what they call "the most important meal of the day". No, I'm not referring to that bowl of ice cream at 10pm when the kids are in bed and the sugary treats begin their siren call. I'm talking about breakfast. That is where these low fat granola bars, packed with bananas, dried cranberries and pecans, come into play.
Both my husband and I are runners and we log enough miles in the week to get our hunger urges revving at full speed. In addition, my husband lifts free weights and I attend an aerobic/strength training class a couple of times per week. That's where this recipe comes in. The amazing woman who teaches the strength training class often provides us with her favorite healthy eating tips and the occasional recipe. I took this recipe, filled with fiber and natural sugars, and made a few tweaks based on my family's taste preferences. It works perfectly as pre-exercise fuel or to curb afternoon hunger cravings.
These granola bars are soft and chewy rather than crispy and have a pleasing level of natural sweetness from the bananas, ground cinnamon and grated nutmeg. However, if you prefer granola bars with a touch more sweetness, consider adding a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup or honey. I snuck in some healthy omega-3 fats in the form of ground flax seeds, which are available in most grocery stores. Actually, we found our last batch of flax seed meal at Costco for a smokin' price.
One of these bars, along with half an apple gives me enough fuel to carry me through my workouts. If you're looking for an alternative, try my Healthy Yogurt Parfaits with Blueberries & Granola.
What are your favorite ways to fuel-up before your workouts? I'd love to hear your ideas.
The recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9- by 13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper, with about 1 inch of parchment paper overlapping the sides.
Spread out the oats and chopped pecans on a baking sheet. Place in the oven until they are lightly toasted, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, mash the bananas with the back of a fork. Stir in applesauce until combined.
Transfer the oats and pecans to a large bowl and stir in dried cranberries, ground flax seed (flax meal), cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Stir the banana mixture into the oat mixture until well combined and starting to clump together. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and press down evenly.
Bake until the bars are golden brown and starting to separate from sides of the pan, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Let cool to room temperature, then cut into bars. Serve or store in an airtight container.
Other granola bars recipes:
Family Fresh Cooking's Telluride Trail Bars
Two Peas and Their Pod's Peanut Butter Granola Balls
Brown Eyed Baker's Crunchy Good-for-You Granola Bars
Shutterbean's Fully Loaded Granola Bars
Printable Recipe
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Low Fat Granola Bars with Bananas, Cranberries & Pecans
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cup oats
- ¾ cup roughly chopped pecans
- 3 large ripe bananas
- â…” cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed or flax meal
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, with about 1 inch of parchment paper overlapping the sides.
- Spread out the oats and chopped pecans on a baking sheet. Place in the oven until they are lightly toasted, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, mash the bananas with the back of a fork. Stir in applesauce until combined.
- Transfer the oats and pecans to a large bowl and stir in dried cranberries, ground flax seed (flax meal), cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
- Stir the banana mixture into the oat mixture until well combined and starting to clump together. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and press down evenly.
- Bake until the bars are golden brown and starting to separate from sides of the pan, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
- Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Let cool to room temperature, then cut into bars.
- Serve or store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Catherine
I managed to burn mine, but they're still super tasty. I leave stuff to cook while I do work or watch TV, which is fine for beans or applesauce or stews that cook for indefinite time periods. But I ought to get a loud timer...
I hadn't thought to try banana in granola bars! I really like the banana/apple for the base. I'm moving soon though, so they were the "what's in the pantry" flavor. If you're looking for a way to mix it up, I think it turned out mighty tasty: I skipped the cranberries, walnuts and ground flaxseed and used a blend of sesame, pumpkin, flax and sunflower seeds that I usually put into my whole wheat bread. And I cooked two apples with the spices (allspice instead of nutmeg) and some cardamom pods to make the apple sauce.
...and I was bad and sprinkled some brown sugar on top. But just a little.
Muncho Mom
Hi! I have a go-to recipe for granola bites that I've been using for months now, but I am really looking forward to trying these, especially given the fact that they contain no oil. I do have one question - do you use instant oats or regular? Also, do you think I could substitute wheat germ for the flax seed? Thanks!
Trine
Hi Dara,
Thank you so much for this recipe - the idea of the applesauce is just brilliant! I made these bars the other day, and they are delicious - but they are kind of soft and not really crispy. After a day in an airtight container they were even softer. Do you have any tips for making them more crispy or do I simply just need to bake them longer?
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Hi Trine, as I mentioned in the post, these bars are meant to be chewy rather than crispy. Applesauce and bananas both provide a lot of moisture (one of the reasons I love adding them to quick breads and muffins). I think that if you cooked them longer, you will find that they don't get crisp and the other ingredients may be compromised. You might want to do a search on http://www.foodblogsearch.com/ for crispy granola bars. Good luck!
Ashley
I just made these tonight and they are delicious!! I left out the nuts because my daughter is allergic to tree nuts/peanuts and added in rice crisp cereal and also didn't add any extra sugar and it was great! Do you think that pumpkin puree would be good to substitute the banana with?
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
I'm so glad you liked these, Ashley, and were able to change up the ingredients to suit your family's needs. I haven't tried using pumpkin puree, but I'll bet it would work brilliantly. Let me know if you try it.
Beth R.
My daughter has tree nut/peanut allergies as well. Can I ask how you substituted the rice krispy cereal? Was it an equal conversion?
Tenesia
You know, I was with Jen E at first on this one. The recipe was easy to follow and made my house smell FANTASTIC but when I took my first bite the junk food addict in me was screaming for some chocolate or sugar (or both!). NOW however, Im totally addicted. The batch is in my fridge right now and I just grab them whenever I'm feeling peckish. Thanks so much for the great recipe! (Best part is I don't have to feel guilty about having more than one)
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Woohoo! Another convert! LOL. I'm so glad you're enjoying these, Tenesia. It's so true that our taste buds really do become accustomed to the taste of sugar. We can definitely curb that by decreasing our intake.
Aggie
Amazing. These look so good Dara. You are inspiring and motivating me to try new recipes...I have never made my own granola bars! These sound delicious!!
Abby Swenstein
These look great.
How long will they stay fresh for?
Only two people in my household so I would like to know how long they will last and/or whether to refrigerate.
Thanks
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Hi Abby, they stay fresh for about a week. However, they also freeze well. I suggest laying them on a baking sheet, covered with plastic wrap and foil, and freezing them. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-proof container or resealable bag.
Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free
This looks fabulous! I love that it is sweetened with only fruit. I'm bookmarking this!
Kim
Just found your site via Tasty Kitchen. These granola bars look great. I will be giving them a try very soon! I too have been on a weight loss journey and finding healthy alternatives for breakfast and workouts is a plus. I'll be checking back soon!
Hillary B
Thanks for the recipe! I found it on Tasty Kitchen. I made these last night and am pleasantly surprised by them. I enjoyed the chewy texture. I thought these held their shape, were easy to cut and package in a snack size ziploc bag. I added about 3/4 cup of dark chocolate chips which I think really helped make them more of a snack and meant that my husband enjoyed them more! I used organic no sugar added applesauce and was missing some sweetness. I think I should add some honey to the ingredients as well as some shredded coconut as you suggested above. But, I have a sweet tooth!