Breakfast Energy Bars

You can substitute walnuts for the almonds in this recipe-and you'll add heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Ingredients

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
2/3 cup brown-rice syrup
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg
½ cup dried fruit, any combination of raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped apricots or dates
½ cup slivered almonds

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and spritz foil with vegetable-oil spray. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, sesame seeds, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

• In another bowl, stir together rice syrup, oil, and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine. Mix in dried fruits and slivered almonds.

• Spread batter into the prepared pan, evening it out as much as possible with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned and firm to the touch in the center. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before inverting onto a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut into quarters, then cut each quarter into three bars. These keep for several days, stored in an airtight container.