Cranberry Crunch Bars

INGREDIENTS – FIBER

• 3 C uncooked rolled oats
• 1/2 C shredded coconut
• 1/2 C blanched almonds – sliced
• 1/4 C pistachios
• 1/4 C hazelnuts
• 1/4 C whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon

1.  Toss above together, put on baking tray, and bake at 350º for 12-15 minutes

INGREDIENTS – BINDER

• 6 TBL butter
• 1/4 C brown sugar
• 1/4 C granulated sugar
• 1/4 TBL honey
• 1/4 TBL Karo syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla

2.  Combine binder in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Completely dissolve sugar and remove from heat.

INGREDIENTS – FLAVOR FILLING

• 1 TBL cocoa powder
• 1/2 C wheat germ
• 1/2 C dried cranberries – chopped
• 1/2 C dried cherries – chopped
• 1/2 C dates – chopped
• 1/2 C dried apricots – chopped
• 1/2 C dried blueberries – chopped
• 1/4 C golden raisins – chopped

3. Mix flavor filling in with the oat mixture and the syrup
4. Lay parchment paper in a large glass baking casserole
5. Spray lightly with cooking spray
6. Press mixture onto the casserole
7. Put into oven at 350º for 35 minutes
8. Set on counter to cool.
9. While it is cooling (don’t do this while it is cooking)  mix below topping ingredients
10. Start with hot butter.  Add a bit of butter at a time until the mixture is like peanut butter
11. Spread on top of crunch bar mixture
12. Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar and salt mixture
13. Put back into the oven for 10 more minutes to caramelize the top coating
14. Set out to cool for 30 minutes
15. Leaving in the tray, cut bars into half, half, half and half making 16 bars
    Be careful not to damage your casserole.
16. Refrigerate overnight
17. The next morning, remove from pan and re-cut the bars if necessary
18. Wrap each bar in parchment or waxed paper, then in plastic wrap.
    Add a label under the plastic wrap if you wish.

INGREDIENTS – TOPPING

• 2 tsp melted butter
• 2 TBL sugar
• 3 TBL cocoa powder
• 1 tsp non-fat dry milk
• 1 tsp cornstarch
  –
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp Turbinado sugar