Recipe: Apricot Pecan Cereal Bars (using oats, tofu and applesauce)

APRICOT PECAN CEREAL BARS

3 cups quick cooking oats, uncooked
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (almonds or walnuts may be substituted)
3 cups unsweetened grain cereal (try Cheerios or Shredded Wheat)
2 cups dried apricots, chopped (dried cherries or cranberries may be substituted)
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
12 ounces silken tofu, drained
1 large egg
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon zest, freshly grated
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread oats and pecans on large (15x10 inch) baking dish. Bake until lightly brown and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes.

Transfer to large mixing bowl and add cereal, apricots and flour; stir to combine.

Puree tofu, egg, applesauce, oil, honey, vanilla and lemon zest in a blender until smooth. Make a well in the center of the oat mixture and fold in the tofu mixture until combined. Coat 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and spread the mixture uniformly in the dish.

Bake until firm in the center and golden brown, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the dish before cutting into bars with a sharp knife.

Makes 24 servings

Per serving: 190 calories, 8 g fat (<1 g saturated fat), 29 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 55 mg sodium.

Source: the American Institute for Cancer Research