Oatmeal Breakfast Bar - Revised

I grew up with a terrible diet that has left me with weight problems my whole life. Obviosly I didn't want my children to suffer the same fate so I was very strict with their diet. Vegetables, Whole Grains, Fruits, etc.

Not only do I think breakfast is the most important meal, I feel that oatmeal is a very important part of that. It is whole grain and packed with lots of healthy stuff and digests slowly so that child doesn't get hungry soon after. Of course I have the best of intentions but my middle son didn't like it and this made every morning an unpleasant experience. Being a fix-it mommy I had to find a way to get my son to eat oatmeal without a fight. I went to the internet and found a recipe that had less sugar and more good stuff and it was for Oatmeal Bars. As you will see you can add whatever seeds, nuts or fruit your children enjoy. The only negative is they are quite crumbly while he eats them.

That was my original post but I have revised the recipe and now find that it does not crumble and he doesn't complain about the large chunks of dried fruit.  He is eating them without too much of a fight now.

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Ingredients
2 cups 9 grain oatmeal, uncooked
1 cup oat flour (can be made by pulverising quick cooking rolled oats in a blender or food processor)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup packed currant or raisins
1/2 cup finely chopped apricots, dried apple slices
1/4 cup chopped nuts, pieces

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9 inch by 13 inch pan, or two 8 inch by 8 inch pans.
3. Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well.
4. Put mixture in prepared pans and spread evenly and press down.
5. Bake for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and cut into squares while still hot.
7. Wait until the bars cool before trying to remove them from the pan.