Peanut-Butter Granola Bars

Photo: Eva Taylor

Ingredients

2 large egg whites

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup bran cereal, ground

1/4 ground flax seed

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup natural crunchy peanut butter or almond butter

1/2 cup Splenda brown sugar

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with 2 crisscrossed rectangles of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang at 2 opposite ends. In a large bowl, combine oats, ground bran, flax seed, wheat germ, almonds and cranberries.

In a small saucepan, whisk together oil, brown sugar, peanut butter, cinnamon, allspice, salt and 1 tablespoon water over low heat until sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly; whisk in egg whites. Pour over at mixture; stir until moistened. Spread evenly in bottom of pan; smooth top.

Bake until top is firm, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Lift out of pan, using paper as handles. Let cool completely, cut into bars with serrated knife.