To Make Lower-Fat Apricot Bar Cookies

     Has the doctor told you to cut back on the fat in your diet or recommended more whole grains for you?  If so, this recipe for Apricot Cookie Bars may be just what you need.  In this recipe, some of the fat is replaced with orange juice and there is twice as much whole-wheat flour as there is all-purpose flour.  These are simple changes that will give you a healthier product without loosing flavor or texture.  Give this recipe a try soon; you will be glad you did.

APRICOT BARS

1 cup + 2 tbsp whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tbsp canola oil

2 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp butter

Filling:

1 3/4 cups chopped dried apricots

3/4 cup orange juice

3/4 cup water

     Cook and stir the apricots, orange juice, and water together in a 1-quart saucepan. Over medium heat, heat just to boiling. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the apricots are tender and the mixture has thickened. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square pan with nonstick cooking oil spray; set aside.

     In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup of the whole-wheat flour, the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg, brown sugar, oil, orange juice concentrate, and the vanilla at medium speed until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture just until blended. Reserve 1/2 cup of this dough mixture for the topping. Pat the remaining dough into the prepared pan. Spread the apricot filling over the dough.

    To the reserved dough add the remaining 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour and the butter; blend with a pastry blender or a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over the apricot filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is a golden brown and firm. Cool completely before cutting into 16 bars.

Note: The orange juice replaces some of the fat in this recipe plus the majority of the flour is whole-wheat, thus making this recipe healthier than most bars.

Enjoy!

Chemical Process Design

       Chemical process design starts with the selection of a series of processing steps and their interconnection into aflowsheet to transform raw materials into desired products. vVhereas a great emphasis in chemical engineering traditionally has been placed 011 the analysis or simulation of flowsheets, the creation or synthesis of flowsheets has received, by comparison, little attention. Yet the decisions made during the synthesis of the flowsheet are of paramount importance in determining the economic viability, safetYl and environmental impact of the final design. This text will concentrate all developing all understanding of the concepts required at each stage of the synthesis of process flowsheets.

       Chemical processes will in the future need to be designed as part of a sustainable industri.al development which retains the capacity of eCQsystems to support industrial activity alld life. This book therefore places a high emphasis on waste minimization and energy efficiency in the context of good economic performance and good health and safety practices. The structure of the text largely follows the order ill which the decisions should be made during the development of a process design. Economic evaluation has been included, but as an appendix so as not to interrupt the flow of the text. This book is intended to provide a practical guide to chemical process design for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students of chemical engineering, practicing process designers, and practicing chemical engineers working in process development.

(by: Robbin Smith)