Oat and Nut Breakfast Bar

These bars are not too sweet, and are made with mainly oats, some nuts and dried fruit. There really isn't a substitute for the rice syrup as that is what gives the bars the shiny, hard finish. I sometimes add 2 tablespoons of dried fruit and chocolate chips just to make the mixture more interesting!

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

       ½ cup oat bran (for a lighter, more "puffy" bar, replace the oat bran with a 1/2 cup extra of puffed millet)

       ½ cup puffed Millet

       1 tablespoon arrowroot flour

        1 tablespoon flax meal

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cups almonds, pecans, walnuts or peanuts, left whole

1/4 cup maple syrup (you can also use a half and half mixture of maple syrup and molasses)

1/3 cup Brown rice syrup

2 Teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to the middle of the oven and set the temperature to 375 degrees

2. Line an 8 x 8 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Let the edges of the paper overhang on all sides.

3. Combine the oats, puffed millet, oil, nuts, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and mix until the oats are evenly coated with the oil. Bake in oven until light golden in color. Remove from oven and add to the oat bran, flax meal and arrowroot flour in a bowl. Lower the oven temp to 300 degrees.

4. Combine the maple syrup, and rice syrup in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it forms a thread when dropped from a spoon (about 230 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat and add in the vanilla.

5. Combine with the oats, nuts etc in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until the oats are thoroughly coated with the syrup mixture. Transfer the granola mixture to the prepared baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Use a large spatula to spread evenly. Cut a square of wax paper and cover the top of the spread mixture, pressing down to pack it tightly with your palms so that it fits the baking dish. Press with your palms of both hands until the mixture is compressed into a flat, tight, and even layer. Bake until golden in color, about 35-40 minutes.

6. Cool in the baking sheet, on a wire rack, for 10-15 minutes before cutting into bars (I cut into 16). Use a sharp knife. Cut the bars while they are still warm. Do not wait longer than 15 minutes before cutting the bars. They harden up significantly as they cool. Store in an airtight container or wrap in foil and freeze. Thaw before using.