Somehow I have let my store of pantry supplies dwindle down to less than the basics, but fortunately most muesli bar recipes are quite forgiving, allowing for the substitution of some ingredients.  In this case, it’s sugar, brown sugar to be exact, or the lack of it.  I never run out of brown sugar, I usually buy it in bulk, but I guess it has been so long since I have needed to buy any that I forgot to see how much I had left.  Anyway, white sugar was in great supply and it did the job.  I think, had I used brown sugar the bars would have been more of a golden colour and had more of a caramelized taste to them, but they disappeared pretty quickly around here and I always take that as a good sign that I should make them again.

They also contain Wheatgerm, which is super-healthy and no cheap cereals, just good old fashioned oats (I accidentally bought quick-cooking but they seemed to work fine), and no butter or oil, just Applesauce.

Chewy Muesli Bars

Ingredients:

2 Cups Oats

1 Cup Plain Wholemeal Flour

1/2 Cup Brown or White Sugar

1/2 Cup Wheatgerm

3/4 tsp Salt (I didn’t use)

3/4 tsp Cinnamon

3/4 Cup Raisins/Choc-Chips/Dried Fruit of Choice

1/2 Cup Honey

2 tsp Vanilla

1/2 Cup Applesauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180C.

Lightly grease slice tin or line with baking paper.

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another.

Add wet to dry ingredients and stir to combine thoroughly.

Spread mixture in slice tin and press down firmly.

If you want a crunchy bar, bake for 30 minutes, but if you prefer chewy, bake for approx. 20 minutes or until bars are a light golden colour.

Allow to cool before slicing to avoid crumbling, but don’t put it in the fridge or it will be too hard to cut.