Sunday, August 22, 2010

Vegan (or not) Almond Butter Granola Bars

Sunday morning:

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…never lasts long enough :). Hope your weekend has been treating you well. Mine has been so, so nice. Lots of time with my Mom, Josh and Frank….

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I wanted to share with you a few pictures from two restaurants I visited this weekend, as well as a pretty tasty almond butter granola bar recipe.

First up, Daniel Island Grille. Saturday morning was my idea of perfection. My Mom came down early to take my Body Step class. I hope to goodness I am able to stay in as great of shape as my Mom is in. As I’ve told you before, she was the one who really got me into Group Fitness and has always been a healthy balance role model. After class, we showered up and headed to Daniel Island Grille.

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They were offering both lunch & brunch.  I ordered coffee:

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and…shocking, a parfait. Their parfait was heavy on the yogurt, super light on the granola and had whipped cream on top. It was served in an elegant little glass. Very tasty, but much lighter than my usual Charleston’s Cafe parfait love.

 IMG_0202 My Mom got the family circle spinach salad. She said all of the ingredients tasted super fresh:

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Daniel Island Grille on Urbanspoon

I also tried a second new restaurant this weekend, Your Pie.

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Your Pie is owned by the people who own Moe’s and the concept is the same, customizable pizza & calzones. They also offer salads in bread bowls, panini’s and gelato. I first heard about this restaurant from Amelia. Josh and I met some friends there for dinner. I got a 6” kids pie with marinara and veggies (no cheese). It was pretty tasty, but the restaurant is somewhat far from our house….and it wasn’t good enough to make the drive out to again.  Josh also ordered a calzone that was pretty tiny (no picture)

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We also tried their gelato. They use lower fat ingredients, so I think the gelato is actually something like 93% fat free. We got the mint chocolate chip and coconut. Both were pretty good.

 

Your Pie on Urbanspoon

Last up! I made some tasty Vegan (or not) Almond Butter Granola bars this morning. I think they turned out well.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups dry oats
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup (or honey for non vegan version)
  • 1/3 cup apple sauce (unsweetened)
  • ½ cup almond butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together dry ingredients (first 6). Add wet ingredients. Mixture should just pull together.

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Spray baking pan and press mixture into the pan using the back of the spatula/spoonula.

Bake for ~25 minutes. Let the bars cool and then cut into squares.

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I may tweak the recipe a bit, but I think this is a great start! How are you spending the rest of your day? My plans are still up in the air ;)

53 comments:

Paige (Running Around Normal) said...

granola bars! You know I love em ;) I'll try out your recipe when mine are all gone.

Sarah Hope said...

LOVE Your Pie. The best part about it is on Tuesdays you can get a whole pizza and a drink for $5.00! Score!!

Amanda- The Nutritionist Reviews said...

I know I wish sunday mornings lasted longer too! They are probably my favorite time of the week. Or Saturday mornings haha. That pizza looks so good!

Megan D said...

Those bars look awesome! I will eat anything made with almond butter =D

Alisa said...

Those bars look great! I love making homemade granola bars.

stephanie @cookinfanatic said...

we're having a lazy day around here, it's cloudy out so perfect for it! my parents are coming for dinner so i'll most likely be in the kitchen (what's new ;) ) happy sunday girl!

tam said...

Those granola bars sound delish, looks like you had a great weekend and you must be so inspired by your mama very cool! xx xx

Lauren said...

Sounds like a wonderful weekend. Your mom must be such an inspirational woman. So glad you were able to spend time with her. Yummm, I love your granola bars. LoL, not that I;ve ever had them, but they always look so amazing!

Heather said...

Don't Sunday mornings always go by too fast??

I love homemade granola bars!

Today I already went for a run, walked the pup with Allison (GDW), and now are headed to my parents for dinner. It's a good day!

I Run for Fun said...

What a fun weekend! The parfait looks so fresh and yumm...so does the pizza. I'd love to try your body step class sometime.

lee said...

I think I might try to make those granola bars. I have been eating way too many processed bars lately.

Melissa said...

It looks like you've been having a great weekend!! Sometimes I like to order yogurt out, but lately I'm loving the parfaits I make myself. I don't know what kind of yogurt you like, but lately the "Yoplait Thick and Creamy" in my parfaits.

Sarah said...

Yum, your granola bars look good! I still buy granola bars but I'm always disappointed in them, I need to stop it and just make them!

Hope the rest of your Sunday is nice, and Monday is pleasant too!

madeleine said...

You love those parfaits!! Looks delish:))

Tiffany @ The Chi-Athlete said...

Yummy! I'm so making these tomorrow! Delicious-looking noms all around, wow! I'm happy that you're getting some rest and family time!

homecookedem said...

Those almond butter granola bars look awesome!! I need to make those for a healthy snack at school.

You sure do love your yogurt parfaits!! ;) That one does look good, but not quite as yummy looking as the one from the Charleston Cave!

Unknown said...

gah, i still need to start making granola bars! i spent this morning swimming, biking and running in the rain, so now i'm on my couch :) i hope to get inspired to get back in the kitchen though!

Jessie (Bites and Pieces) said...

Yum, those bars look delicious! I am always lazy when it comes to making my own bars, but I have no idea why. They look so easy!

Anonymous said...

Granola bars and almond butter - how can you go wrong? This looks like a great recipe!

Averie @ Averie Cooks said...

girl the recipe looks stellar and im sure the flour is totally omittable which would render them vegan AND GF. I have a recipe for Vegan GF granola on my site and always love finding other ones!

yum and have a super week!!!
xo

Stacey said...

I love the granola bars and the fact that I have all those ingredients to make them. Have a great week.

BroccoliHut said...

I'm a big fan of Moe's and pizza, so I bet I would LOVE that place:)

Krista said...

Mmm! I like the variation on the bars!! And the parfait with the strawbs looks so yummy...

Christina said...

i had heard some mixed reviews about yourpie...it sounds like you won't be back, haha. nice granola bars!!! :)

Yum Yucky said...

Please tell Frank I said hello. I have Internet love for that canine.

Jessica@ Tasty and Trim said...

I was looking for a tasty-looking granola bar recipe. Now I can stop looking, thanks! :)

Kerstin said...

Mmm, what yummy bars - perfect for a pre- or post-workout snack :)

teresa said...

fun pizza place! i love the granola too, hope you've had a good weekend!

teresa said...

fun pizza place! i love the granola too, hope you've had a good weekend!

lynn said...

i love the name of that pizza place! though i admit i thought it was sweet dessert pie at first

Miz said...

OH
FRANK
I
HEART
YER
MUG.

Beth @ DiningAndDishing said...

I should totally try to make these granola bars - they look so yummy! I am a big fan of Cliff Bars but I'd love to switch to something homemade and not so processed. Thanks for the recipe!

Anonymous said...

The granola bars look awesome! I love anything almond butter so these are right up my alley!

fittingbackin said...

oooh I love the sound of 'your pie' - you go to the neatest places!

Angharad said...

Um yum. Almond butter granola bars? You had me at the name!

Julie said...

i'm seriously in love with the fact that your ma takes your classes haha everytime you post it i get so excited :)

that piz place sounds interesting but i'm not tooo big a fan of mo's so i'm not sure how i would feel about their pizza. something about the same company doing mexican AND italian rubs me the wrong way haha

the ONLY thing i see missing from your weekend is berry chill...

Natalie said...

I love homemade granola bars--need to make a batch sometime soon, thanks for the reminder ;)

Holly said...

Oh, wow - those bars look delicious! Anything with AB is a winner, in my book. :-)

I think that is SO neat you and your mom work out together! I love to work out with my sisters, when I can. Helps to have a partner!

Anonymous said...

Mmm. I've tried creating so many different granola bar recipes and they either come out cakey and dense or fall apart. Yours look awesome!

Anonymous said...

We had a nice weekend too - other than a few hours on Saturday at an office party, there was lots of good food and baking - so glad the temps were reasonable - and it was nice not having the air on!

The Blonde Duck said...

I love customizing things. Esp. pizza and tacos and burgers.

Naomi(Onefitfoodie) said...

ohh i just love your restaurant reviews! how awesome would it be to open a restaurant and just serve a gazillion types of parfaits?!?! that would be so so so amazing! you could choose the topping, flavor of yogurt, fruit etc MMMM

that pizza looks so good too!!

Maria said...

Great eats! I want to make the bars!

bhealthier said...

hmmm yummy! I missed photos of frank and you! i love saturday mornings because you still have so much weekend remaining!

CaSaundraLeigh said...

That's really neat you do fitness things with your mom--what a fun/healthy way to spend some extra time together!! And you can never go wrong with homemade granola bars--they are so versatile I love em'!

Lea @ Healthy Coconut said...

The bars look good and I think I have all the ingredients on hand. i might use pumpkin puree instead of applesauce though, just because I need to finish them up.

2 questions for you. What kind of oats did you use? Rolled oats? Do you know if these freeze well? I would like to make a batch and freeze them.

Thank you

Mandy A said...

I'm thinking your bars look amazing just as they are! I have been searching for a great one to make to have on hand for snacks - and stop buying granola bars from the store... Kashi or not, I'd rather make them myself!

I think I am going to try them this week! :)

Lauren said...

that picture of Frank is adoreable! The granola bars look really good. I make granola all the time, but have never done bars.

Lindsay @ http://pancakesnpajamas.blogspot.com/ said...

That new fro-yo place is in the same shopping center as Your Pie. Did you see it?!?! I need to to check out the progress on that. So glad you were able to get in some quality time with your mom,Josh, and of course Mr. Cutie Pie himself aka Frank! After your busy work days, you totally deserved it! See you this afternoon!!

Janetha @ meals + moves said...

ive bookmarked the almond butter bar recipe! it looks simple and tasty. you are such a parfait connoisseur, i LOVE it. the pizza place sounds like a fun concept. and, as always, love mister franklin :)

health products said...

There are only few parents who's watching their diet and you're lucky enough that you're mom is one of them :)

Erica, thanks for sharing your granola bar recipe.

Kirsten said...

The granola bars sound amazing, I am going to make them this weekend with Barney Butter!!

Anonymous said...

i love bars like this! perfect for grabbing and going!