Health Nut

So its the new year and I have totally been on a health kick. Right your thinking but your a baker and a pastry student how can you be on a health kick? Well I can!
I am so not a Oatmeal and raisin cookie person but my dad is and I make them just for him all the time.
But about a year ago I decided to make them with Blueberries for him and even I would rather eat them that way.
Today I was in a baking mood.. and I was thinking of making something thats sweet but healthy and could eventually be something I sell at my bakery.
What I came up with was a twist on my Oatmeal cookies. So what did I make?
I made Oatmeal snack bars! They have the best of both a granola bar and an oatmeal cookie!
They have the wonderful fiber and nutrients of the eggs walnuts and oatmeal and the beautiful antioxidants and vitamins in the blueberries. I am so in love with these and how they turned out!
So I will share with you the Recipe I made up!

Oatmeal Snack Bars
1/2lb (2 sticks) butter (or margarine if you prefer) at room temp
1 cup of packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of granulated sugar (you could change the honey to a half a cup and leave this out! Honey has wonderful health qualities as well as is a natural preservative!)
2 eggs at room temp (oh so great for your health!)
1 tsp vanilla (I use a Mexican organic vanilla)
1 & 1/2 cups All purpose flour
1tsp baking soda
1tsp pumpkin spice (you can just use cinnamon if you want but I love the flavor the nutmeg and all spice gives)
1/2 tsp salt (optional I tend to use unsalted butter when I cook so I can control the salt but its always ok to add this little to enhance the flavor)
3 cups Quaker oats (quick or stone I use the quick because we have it and oats are good for fiber and for your heart it doesn't matter if they are stone ground or quick)
6 oz (2-3oz bags) of dried blueberries (you could use cranberries or raisins but I love the antioxidants and extra boost of vitamins in the blueberries)
6 oz of walnut pieces

1. preheat the oven to 350F
2. Beat together butter, sugar, and honey until creamy
3. add eggs (one at a time) and vanilla and beat till well combined it might be a little lumpy
4. in a separate bowl, use a fork and fluffy together flour, soda, spices, and salt
5. add the dry slowly to the wet and combine
6. stir in the oats and then add the berries and nuts
7. press into an ungreased 13x9 inch cookie sheet making sure that all the dough is about the same thickness
8. bake 30-35 minutes
9. cool and then cut
10. I love to wrap them up and then freeze them and eat them frozen!

Hope you make these and ENJOY! Happy Wednesday!