Date Filled Cookie Bars (Fat & Dairy Free)

If you have been looking for a treat to go into school lunches, this is it. These snack bars are not only popular with children, but moms love them too, because they're filled with real nutrition instead of refined sugar and fat. They can be baked in advance and stored in airtight containers in the freezer. Then these bars can go right from the freezer into your child's lunch sack, and they will have thawed by the time your child is ready to enjoy them. I used regular whole wheat flour and they turned out good. Whole wheat PASTRY flour will make dough lighter.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 1 3⁄4 cups rolled oats
• 2  cups  crisp brown  crispy rice cereal
• 1 1⁄2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1  cup honey
• 3⁄4 cup  frozen apple juice concentrate (defrosted)
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  teaspoon  almond extract

• FILLING

• 3⁄4 cup boiling water
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped dates
• 1⁄4 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 350 F.
2. In large bowl, combine rolled oats, cereal, flour, baking soda and cream of tartar.
3. Set aside.
4. In small saucepan, bring honey and juice concentrate to boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly.
5. Remove from heat; cool for 5 minutes.
6. Add vanilla and almond extracts.
7. Gently stir into cereal mixture.
8. FOR THE FILLING, in blender or food processor, process on high speed boiling water, dates and raisins until pureed, approximately 2 minutes.
9. In 8 x 11 x 2 inch ovenproof glass baking dish, press 2 cups of the cereal mixture in bottom of pan.
10. Using back of spoon, spread filling ont op of cereal mixture, and top with remaining cereal mixture.
11. Bake at 350 F.
12. for 30 to 35 minutes, or until nicely browned.
13. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes.
14. Cut into 24 bars.