...a sweet tooth fix that's better for you than Oreos.

I've been trying to cut down on sugar lately.. ok.. really go cold-turkey. BUT my sweet tooth got the best of me once again. I researched a couple of healthy alternative recipes online and found a couple that sounded fantastic. I made this one from wholefoods.com yesterday and it did the job.

Maple Carob Granola Bars

4 cups old-fashioned oats (or quick-cooking)

1/3 cup organic canola oil

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup vegan carob chips

1/2 cup organic walnuts, chopped (or pecans)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Spread oats into an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Combine remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add warm oats. Spread mixture into a 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed or oiled, pressing down hard to compact it.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Half batch in an 8x8 pan takes about 20 minutes to bake.