Extremely Healthy Fiber Packed Zucchini Carrot Cranberry Bars

Ingredients

• 1 extra large egg (or 2 egg whites)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
• 1/2 cup sugar, tightly packed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (for the buttermilk)
• 2 cups zucchini, grated
• 1 cup carrot, grated
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons natural-style chunky peanut butter
• toasted walnuts or almonds or pecans, whatever you like (estimate according to how nutty you want it, you can even omit the peanut butter)
• cinnamon-sugar mixture, for the top if desired. (1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp sugar, combined)

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a cake pan (9x13) with nonstick cooking spray.

2. 2

   Mix together milk with lemon juice. Set aside for 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Beat egg well, then add brown sugar, sugar, oil and beat together again. Add in vanilla, zucchini, carrots, cranberries and the milk and lemon mixture. Mix together well.

4. 4

   Put the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nuts if you added any in another bowl. Mix them together.

5. 5

   Add the dry mixture with the wet mixture, mix together until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the oiled pan and sprinkle some cinnamon sugar mixture onto the top if desired.

6. 6

   Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until wooden stick inserted into the middle comes out clean and the bars are not sticky in the middle.

7. 7

   Turn off the oven but don't open the oven or take the pan out, just leave it in there for 5 minutes if you like the outside crispy. Don't overbake, they become really dry and hard.