Healthy Whole Wheat, No Oil, No butter Almond Apple Bars!

Yuck. Let's just start by saying I hate colds.

Fortunately, running almost always makes me feel better. I had a pretty solid run this morning besides the fact I was sniffling the whole time. Of course, as soon as I got back I turned the Christmas tunes up and did some festive baking!

Maybe these aren't "Christmas" treats exactly, but we had so many cookies and too much cake. I really wanted to experiment with something a little healthier that I could have for breakfast this week and I also wanted some fall flavors. Thus, my modified almond-apple bars were born.

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees and Get out whatever pans you want to use. Grease them. I used two square baking pans that were about 8" by 8".

Dry Mix:

• 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 Cup Sugar (or Splenda Baking Blend)
• 1/4 tsp (just a pinch) each Nutmeg, Cloves, and Allspice
• 1 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

Whisk all of your dry ingredients together until evenly distributed. Then, in a separate bowl, start your wet mix: 

Wet Mix:

• 2 Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cup Milk
• 1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt (I often use this for moisture instead of oils or butter! Sometimes it messes with the mix, but this time the bars were still nice and fluffy and it worked perfectly)

1. Beat eggs, add Vanilla, then mix in the milk and Greek Yogurt. 
2. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mix. 
3. The consistency should be cake batter-like. If yours isn't, add more milk and/or flour as needed. Add this mix to your baking pans. 

Now, for the crunchy, nutty apple topping.

Topping: 

• Two small apples, peeled and chopped roughly
• 1/2 Cup Pecans (omit if you don't like or substitute another nut) chopped roughly
• 3/4 Cup Almonds, chopped roughly. 
• 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup 

1. Toast the nuts and the apples (gets rid of moisture in apples) in the oven for about ten minutes. 
2. After they're done, put them in a pot on a stove and, on low heat, coat them in maple syrup. 
3. Stir frequently. As soon as the maple syrup starts bubbling, take them off the heat and (carefully-they're hot!) spread them on parchment paper. 
4. The apples and nuts will harden with the maple glaze on them and then you can sprinkle them on the top of your batter in the pans. 

Oven times will vary based on the cooking vessel used. Keep checking on them and as soon as the bars "spring" back when pushed down or a toothpick inserted comes out clean they're done. 

Cut in any way you like!