Apricot Pecan Bars

Give your kids a breakfast boost with these homemade apricot bars. Unlike many packaged granola bars, our recipe contains whole grain oats, loaded with soluble fiber, selenium and B vitamins. Eating whole-grain snacks is a great way to get more fiber into your family’s diet for long-lasting energy and lower cancer risk. Real dried apricots pack vitamin A and potassium while pecans add a hearty crunch and, with silken tofu, gives extra protein power.

Ingredients

• 3 cups quick cooking oats 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 3 cups unsweetened grain cereal (cheerios or shredded wheat)
• 2 cups dried apricots, chopped
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 12 oz. silken tofu, drained
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. lemon zest, freshly grated 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• Canola oil cooking spray

Makes 24 servings. Per serving: 190 calories, 8 g total fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 30 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 55 mg sodium, 15 g sugar, 8 g added sugar

Directions

1. Spread oats and pecans on large (15x10 inch) baking dish. Bake until lightly brown and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Transfer to large mixing bowl and add cereal, apricots and flour; stir to combine.
3. Puree tofu, egg, applesauce, oil, honey, vanilla and lemon zest in a blender until smooth. Make a well in the center of the oat mixture and fold in the tofu mixture until combined. Coat 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and spread the mixture uniformly in the dish.
4. Bake until firm in the center and golden brown, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the dish before cutting into bars with a sharp knife.

Recipe courtesy of The American Institute of Cancer Research