Back-To-School Apple Oatmeal Power Bars

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   ["Preheat oven to 325 degrees F / 170 degrees C.", "Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.", "In small bowl, stir together ground flax and water. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir. The mixture will be thicker and a bit viscous.", "In medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together lentils, applesauce, oatmeal, cornmeal (if using, cinnamon and salt. Stir until the ingredients are completely mixed.", "Chop the dried fruit and other add-ins (you can pulse these in a food processor if you have one).", "Add the add-ins, flax mixture, vegetable oil and honey to the oat mixture and stir again until everything is thoroughly blended. (If you are using creamed honey, you can heat the oil and honey together before adding in order to melt the honey to make it easier to blend in.)", "Press mixture into prepared pan.", "Bake for 35-40 minutes until the bars feel firm to the touch.", "Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before using parchment paper to lift them to a cooling rack.", "When cool, cut into bars. Store in a airtight container, or freeze for up to 3 months.", "NOTE: To cook lentils:

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   Place 1 cup of lentils in a pan with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, until lentils are soft and the mixture has thickened. Stir occasionally as the mixture is cooking to prevent sticking.

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   This lentil mash can be stored in the fridge and added to baked goods for extra nutrition. Lentils are high in protein, iron, fiber and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals."]

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

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