After watching “Home Made in
American” with Sunny Anderson on the Food Network station (7/8/2013), I had to
try Lola Granola Bars. Mary Molina developed the recipe through “trial and
error.” Once she deemed it a “success,”
she wrapped up several bars and packed them in her husband’s lunch. After
sharing them with co-workers, he came home with orders for more.
Eventually, she expanded her line
and began selling in local grocery stores. Her bars are now sold in 40 stores.
She continues to get requests and is hoping to expand beyond her home kitchen based
business.
The bars are simple to make and truly as
good as all their TV hype.
Words of Warning: Be sure to
taste sunflower seeds before using in any recipe. I’ve learning this the hard
way in the past. Yes, I know sunflower seeds tend to turn rancid so I always
put them in the refrigerator or freezer if not using immediately. But, even in
those controlled climates, the oil can turn, creating an unpleasant taste in
your finished product.
Lola Granola Bars
Cooking spray
2 cups (old fashioned) oats
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup whole raw almonds, skin on (I had sliced almonds on hand so that’s what
I used)
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1. Preheat
the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 7- by 11-inch baking pan with parchment paper
and spray with cooking spray.
2. In
a bowl, stir the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, coconut, flax seed meal and
cinnamon. Transfer to a dry sheet tray and toast in the oven for 15 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl.
Mixing up the dry ingredients. |
3. While
dry ingredients toast, in a medium pot, add the honey, coconut oil and vanilla.
Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the honey turns a copper color,
12 to 15 minutes.
Liquid ingredients go into the saucepan. |
This is what the mixture looks like after 12 to 15 minutes. |
4. Pour
the honey into the dry ingredients and mix until well coated with the honey
mixture.
5. Pour
onto the prepared baking pan. Pack down the ingredients.
6. Bake
for about 10 minutes; the middle may seem slightly sticky but it will cool
nicely.
7. Let
cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Flip over, take off the parchment and cut
into rectangles. Serve.
For other flavors, make the following substitutions to the recipe
above:
Ruby (Cranberry): Omit the almonds and add an additional 1/4
cup dried cranberries.
Nathan (Blueberry/Almond): Substitute the cranberries with
dried blueberries.
Enzo: (Cashew/Almond): Omit the cranberries and add 1/4 cup
cashews to the dry ingredients.
Ellie (Cashew/Date): Substitute the almonds with cashews and
substitute the cranberries with dried dates.
If you like homemade granola bars, you might also like this recipe for Peanut & Jelly Power Bars.
3 Studies REVEAL How Coconut Oil Kills Waist Fat.
ReplyDeleteThe meaning of this is that you literally burn fat by consuming coconut fat (also coconut milk, coconut cream and coconut oil).
These 3 researches from big medical journals are sure to turn the conventional nutrition world upside down!