Oatmeal Bars to Replace Your Granola Bar Habit

It's back to school time and that means finding snacks for your kids that are affordable and healthy. Granola bars were always a go-to snack for my family, so I decided to create a DIY alternative. These oatmeal bars are filled with nutrients, are super easy to make, and can be adapted to your taste.

You can choose different nuts, fruits, and seeds. I've been enjoying a mixture of walnuts, flax, cranberries and dates. I also add some chocolate chips for sweetness.

Here is a basic list to help you with the proportions:

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats 
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 
• 1/2 cup dried fruit 
• 1/4 cup seeds 
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips 
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• pinch of salt 
• 1 1/4 cups milk 
• 1 egg 
• 1 tsp vanilla 

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. Grab a 2-cup measuring cup, add your milk, crack and egg into the cup and add a dash of vanilla.
4. Pour your wet ingredients into the dry. Stir until combined.
5. Pour into a square baking dish lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake for 45 minutes.
7. Cut into 9 squares and wrap for grab-and-go ease. You can store in the fridge, which keeps the chocolate firm. Yum! 

Quinoa Crusted Eggplant Parmigiana

Eggplant Parm has to be one of my favorite guilty pleasures. But who likes feeling guilty? Not me, especially since I get enough Jewish guilt from the women in my family. So the challenge became, making a healthy eggplant parm without it being a soggy mess.

My grandfather has always grown prize eggplants that my bubbe thoughtfully prepares. Growing up I would eat these aubrigene beauties, baked, with a layer of marinara tossed pasta. In my own kitchen I follow this process, which often leads to the sauce soaking in and ruining the fried eggplant crust.

Like many days, I was having a long drive home and dreaming about cooking up something creative. It was in that moment that a light went off -- QUINOA. There was my answer. I would grind it down to a granular flour and then follow my normal steps.

This is what you'll need:

- 1/2 - 1 cup of quinoa ground by either a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle to about a quarter size of the normal quinoa grain (if it's flour consistency you've ground too much and it might not be as crispy)
- 1/4 cup or so of shredded hard cheese like pecorino or parmesan
- seasoning such as garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper, parsley
- egg whites
- pasta (whole wheat penne is what I use)
- marinara sauce (I whip up my own, but I also like Rinaldi)
- eggplant
- mozzarella
- olive oil spray*

Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place a layer of eggplant in a strainer and sprinkle kosher salt so that it is on each piece. Repeat until all layers are salted.

Step 2:
While the eggplant is sitting in the salt grind the quinoa. Once you have reached the right consistency dump it into a mixing bowl and add the shredded hard cheese and any seasoning you would like. This basically makes a "seasoned quinoa crumb."

Step 3:
Rinse the eggplant thoroughly so that no salt is left behind. Then get another bowl for your egg whites. The amount will vary depending on your eggplant size. I use the pourable ones to make it easy and adjust as I go.

Step 4:
Grab a cookie sheet and spray it with olive oil. Now it's time to bread! One piece at a time, dip each side of the slice in the egg whites, let it drip off some, and then into the quinoa it goes. Now place it on the baking sheet.

Step 5:
Spray the tops of the eggplant and put the sheet in the oven. Bake for 10- 15 minutes and then flip for another 10 minutes or so until both sides are golden brown.

Step 6:
While the eggplant is baking, put some water on to make your pasta. Cook according to package directions and then toss with sauce. Once that is complete, layer it on the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish.

Step 7:
Layer the eggplant on top of the pasta, top with sauce and mozzarella. Lower the oven to 350 degrees and bake until the cheese is melted. Let it sit for 5 minutes, cut and enjoy!

*Note: I like using the Misto for the olive oil spray. You pump it by hand and then it makes a mist. This product also allows you to select your own oil, which is awesome.