3 cups rolled oats or quick-cooking oats
2 cups trail mix OR any combination of dried fruits, nuts and seeds (your choice)
1 cup mashed ripe bananas, apple butter, apple sauce, or any fruit puree
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together. Line a cookie sheet with foil and pat the mixture onto it about 1/2″ thick. Bake about 20 minutes — do not brown. Let cool slightly and cut into bars, or just break into chunks (much easier).
Yield: about 16 “bars”
Note: If the mixture seems too dry to stick together, add more fruit puree or a little yogurt.
Variations: You can vary this basic recipe endlessly, using any combination of dried fruits — raisins, cranberries, chopped dates, bits of apricot, pineapple and so forth; and any snack seeds or nuts. My favorites are pine nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds. Pre-mixed trail mixes make the job even easier. Tom Fritz suggested the mashed bananas, which make a delicious, moist bar. He also recommends using “Ann’s Nut House” brand trail mix.
