To the Rescue Bars
1/4 cup amaranth, popped
2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c, each pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, raisins, sunflower seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons flax meal blended with 1/2 cup water
3/4 cup brown rice syrup
1 cup soymilk
1 tablespoon olive oil
These are packed with fiber and protein, and the ginger and the cayenne aid digestion.
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Pop the amaranth in a small skillet and put it in a large mixing bowl along with the oats, oat bran, flour, salt, coconut, seeds and raisins. Stir well to combine.
Blend the flax meal and the water until it begins to emulsify.
Put the tablespoon of olive oil in your liquid measuring cup and roll it around to line the inside of the cup, pour enough of it into a 9X13 baking pan to grease the bottom and sides.
Measure your liquid sweetener and put it in a small saucepan. Notice how it doesn't stick to the glass? Pretty clever. Add the soy milk, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne and cook mixture over medium high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or fork until it comes to a boil.
Add this as well as the flax mixture to the dry ingredients, and stir well to combine. Once combined spread evenly in the 9X13 pan and bake for about 25 minutes.
Cut into bars and enjoy!
This is a very malleable recipe. If you hate raisins, leave them out. If you don't have sesame seeds, who cares?! If you want it sweeter use agave nectar or maple syrup. Put some peanut butter and carob powder in the pot with the soymilk and leave out the ginger. The important thing is to make it the way you like it and make yourself happy and full.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
Could I leave out the amaranth? Could I replace it with something else?
I was just sort of cleaning out my pantry when I made this, so whatever you have will work. Amaranth is nice because it's like little, tiny popcorn kernels once you pop it (although I did set mine on fire the first time I tried to do that). I would just subsititute an equal amount of a dry ingredient like wheat germ or oat bran or else just use slightly less liquid. It's really pretty hard to screw up.
Could I leave out the amaranth? Could I replace it with something else?