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Recipe of the Month

Blueberry Granola Bars

blueberries

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 3 Tbsp canola oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x9 inch square baking pan. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine honey, brown sugar, oil, and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Continue boiling for 2 minutes — do not stir. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats and blueberries. Stir in honey mixture until thoroughly blended. Spread into the prepared baking pan, gently pressing mixture flat. Bake until lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Cool completely in a pan on a wire rack. Cut into 1 1/2 by 3 inch bars.

Yield

18 bars

Adapted from:

The Color Code, 2002 by James Joseph

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Nutrition Tip

Blueberries, native to North America, used to be called "star" berries because of the blossom at the end. This fruit was not only used by Native Americans to eat, but also to preserve meats from spoiling, to treat diarrhea and constipation, and even lessen the pain of birthing. Recently these little blue jewels have been placed in the limelight because of their powerful health benefits.

Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University have developed a scale called ORAC. This scale, an acronym for "oxygen radical absorbance capacity," measures how much phytonutrient power a fruit or vegetable contains. According to ORAC, blueberries have the highest levels of phytonutrients compared to all fresh fruits and vegetables.

One especially potent phytonutrient found in blueberries is anthocyanin, which is concentrated in the skin and gives the berry its intense blue-purple color. This powerful substance reduces inflammation — helping not only to relieve arthritis, but also to protect the brain from degeneration as we age. And what's more, blueberries contain the phytonutrients chlorogenic acid and ellagic acid, both of which help prevent cancers.

To add more blueberries to your diet, sprinkle them on cereal or ice cream, add to smoothies, bake in pies, or just eat raw.

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