Fruit and Chocolate Oat Bars

I strongly believe your body needs morning fuel to make it through the rest of the day successfully.  That being said, I will help you with ideas for this fuel!

This was a tasty, light breakfast that kept me full for a good four hours.

Clementine
Nonfat Greek Yogurt (about half a cup)
Blueberries (about one fourth a cup)
Fruit and Chocolate Oat Bar

These oat bars are probably my husband's favorite concoction, of all the things I make.  If I ask him if he wants anything, he will invariably request oat bars.  Fortunately, they don't take long to whip up and they are not too unhealthy a treat to have sitting around the house.  Over the course of developing my own take on this recipe, I've subbed in and added some healthy additions, but I haven't even tried to touch the sugar content yet!

Fruit and Chocolate Oat Bars
3/4 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c white sugar
1 c unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
2 Tbsp nonfat milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c flax seeds
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 c oatmeal
1 c dried cranberries or golden raisins
1 c chocolate chips (semisweet or milk)

Heat oven to 350.  Spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray.
Beat together sugars and applesauce until well blended.  Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.  Add flour, flax seeds, baking soda and cinnamon; mix dry ingredients on top of liquid then fold into liquid and mix well.  Stir in oats, cranberries and chocolate chips; mix well.
Press dough into baking dish.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool completely in pan.  Store in tightly covered container.

A word about Greek yogurt...  it's great!  Thicker than regular yogurt and much tangier.  I buy the plain kind because I feel so virtuous eating it.  But then I usually add a touch of honey...