If you’ve been following this blog, you may have seen a few wholesome bar recipes. These Healthy Vegan Oatmeal and Cranberry Bars are a little different: they’re vegan, flour-free, and have virtually no added sugar—just one tablespoon of honey for the entire batch. Egg-free and easy to assemble, they’re a fun recipe to make with kids. Let them wash their hands and get involved—it’s a great hands-on activity.
The bars pictured were made three ways: some topped with fruit spreads (I used apricot and strawberry), others with a thin layer of vegan, grain-sweetened chocolate. Choose the topping you prefer. Despite being low in calories, fat, carbs, sugar, and sodium, these bars are flavorful, so it’s tempting to have a second one. Nutrition per bar: calories 76.3, fat 2.4 g, carbs 12.1 g, fiber 2.2 g, sugar 4.9 g, sodium 5.6 mg, protein 2.2 g, Weight Watcher PointsPlus® 2.
Healthy Vegan Oatmeal and Cranberry Bars
Makes 16 Bars
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
- 2 jars baby food applesauce — I used organic applesauce and plums with apples
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp cinnamon, divided
- 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
- 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds — slightly crushed
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries or another dried fruit such as apricots
- 1 tbsp honey or agave nectar
- 1 tbsp all-fruit spread
- 2 tbsp vegan chocolate chips (optional — adds about 4 calories per serving)
- 1 tsp soy milk
- Pinch of sea salt or kosher salt
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Line a cookie sheet with nonstick aluminum foil. Evenly spread the wheat germ and slivered almonds and toast in the oven for 5–10 minutes until lightly toasted. Watch closely to avoid burning. Remove and let cool.
- Once cool, break up the almonds a bit and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, baby food applesauce, vanilla, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp of cinnamon, and the honey. Mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula, scraping down to incorporate all the oats.
- Stir in the toasted almonds, wheat germ, and dried cranberries until evenly distributed.
- Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan, spreading it to the edges and smoothing the top.
- Bake on the middle rack for 20–30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned but not dark. Rotate the pan after about 12 minutes for even baking. The bars will pull slightly away from the sides when done.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remaining 1 tsp of cinnamon over the top. If using fruit spread, spread it evenly over the bars and return them to the oven for 5 more minutes.
- If adding chocolate, place the chocolate chips and soy milk in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 15 seconds, stir, then heat another 20 seconds if needed until melted. Stir smooth and spread a thin layer over the cooled bars with a spoon.
- Allow the bars to cool to almost room temperature, then cut into 16 squares. Store at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Enjoy this wholesome treat!
