In anticipation of this year's Piglet, we'll be sharing articles, recipes, and tips from past winners over the next three weeks. First up: Kim Boyce's Good to the Grain. Learn more about this year's tournament here, or head to Provisions to add some of the titles to your bookshelf!
Today: A granola bar that is more cookie than healthy snack -- which is just how we like them.
These bars, more cookie than heath food, are loaded with oats and flaxseed meal. They'll satisfy a craving for an afternoon sweet or provide an energy boost while hiking or camping. Other rolled flakes like rye, barley, or spelt can be substituted for the rolled oats, as can wheat germ or wheat bran for the flaxseed meal.
Toasting the oats in butter is crucial to the texture of the granola bars -- this extra step results in a bar that is nutty and golden all the way through. I especially like the tartness that a mix of light and dark Flame raisins adds to the bars, but you can use whatever raisins you have on hand.
Makes 16
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra to butter the pan and your hands
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsulphured (not blackstrap) molasses
1 teaspoon kosher salt
See the full recipe (and save it and print it) here.
Photo by Quentin Bacon
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