Healthy, Quick Breakfast Ideas

I’m often asked for recipe ideas that can provide a convenient, quick, and healthy breakfast option. One easy option is to make muffins and freeze them for an easy on the go munch (to make them healthier try substituting unsweetened applesauce for some of the oil or butter- or use any fruit puree). I also love Museli and Smoothies (the recipes are posted at http://www.chefjessicabright.com/). The following recipe for Granola Power Bars is a nice option because it does not have any processed ingredients and is easy to bake to your liking by changing the variety of nuts or dried fruit used when you make it.

Granola Power Bars

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup honey
¼ cup shredded coconut
½ cup raisins
½ cup dried cranberries
1 ½ cups sliced almonds
2 cups rolled oats
3 cups puffed rice cereal

Preheat oven to 350º. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray- line with parchment paper. Allow the edges of the paper to stick up above the pan so you can use them to lift the food out of the pan. Combine the honey and oil and heat until very warm so that they will mix more easily. Stir remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour honey and oil mixture over everything and stir to coat. Pour onto parchment paper and press into an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes, cool COMPLETELY in the pan. Lift cooled bar out of the pan using the parchment, cut into 24 bars and store in an airtight container.