Hermits

From EatingWell: July/August 1995, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004) — Subscribe Now!

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

20 bars

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour, (see Ingredient note)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup apple butter
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups raisins

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl. Beat brown sugar, molasses, oil, apple butter and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in raisins. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan; smooth the top.
Bake the hermits until the top feels "set" when lightly pressed in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Tips & Notes

Ingredient Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Available in large supermarkets and in natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.

Nutrition

Per bar: 151 calories; 3 g fat (0 g sat, 2 g mono); 21 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 102 mg sodium; 238 mg potassium.

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 other carbohydrate, 1 fat