Yogurt Granola Bars

Today I made Abby some Yogurt Granola Bars. I got the idea from a British cookbook that I have - it's aimed at children and is one of those reminders that "children around the world eat all sorts of things." It's full of recipes that call for potted meat and tinned sardines. Huh. I've never had either, and I've certainly never offered either to Abby. I saw a recipe for snack bars that contained neither potted meat nor Vegemite and thought I'd give 'em a whirl.

Yogurt Granola Bars

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Bake time: 15-20 minutes

3 Tbsp butter (or butter substitute)
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup rolled oats (not instant!)
1/4 cup almonds, chopped fine
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup dried, pitted dates, chopped (I found pre-chopped at my grocery store - score!)
2 Tbsp yogurt (any kind will do... I used Stonyfield Farm Fat Free Lotsa Lemon, because it's all I had on hand)

Preheat oven to 325F and grease a loaf pan. In a large bowl, melt the butter and honey together in the microwave. Stir in the baking soda. Add in all the other ingredients and stir until well combined. Spoon into the loaf pan and pack it down with the back of your spoon. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the edges are starting to brown. Let cool completely before slicing; chilling them in the refrigerator would help even more.

These were a BIG hit. My only complaint is that, as you can see on her plate, they crumbled all apart; I think the next time I make them I'll try adding in some flour or egg or something to either dry them up or bind them together (and I'll edit this post with any alterations for the better!). But, the taste was fantastic and Abby gobbled up every little bit. I bet they would be fantastic crumbled over some vanilla fro-yo for dessert.