Granola Bars

I've been on the hunt for healthy snacks that we can afford.  It's super easy and cheap to buy junk food at the store and fill our stomachs with empty calories, but I want to find a different path.

Here's a recipe I found, modified slightly and it met with the entire family's approval.  My seven year old, Matt, said if he had twelve thumbs, he would give it twelve thumbs up!

Plus, it uses chia seeds. These little seeds are packed full of omega-3, fiber, and antioxidants.

GRANOLA BARS

Ingredients:

  8 Tablespoons Butter

  1 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar

  1/2 Cup of Honey

  6 Cups of Rolled Oats

  1 Cup Dried Berries

  1/2 Cup of Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips

In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter and then add the brown sugar and honey.  Let it simmer until the sugar is dissolved, approx. 2 minutes.  Remove saucepan from heat.

Add the oats and berries to the saucepan and stir until all the ingredients are covered with the syrup like mixture.

Transfer the granola mixture to a 10x15 ungreased pan.  Press it down to fit in the pan, making it as even as possible.  Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the top and then press them into the granola.  

Place the pan into the fridge for 15 minutes.  Take out the pan and cut into bars.  (I used a pizza cutter and it seemed to help the granola stay together.  Place pan back in fridge, let the bars finish setting.  This helps the bars keep their shape when you remove them from the pan.

Store the granola bars in an airtight container and put wax paper between the layers.  Store in the fridge.

Below I have copied the link to the original granola bar recipe that I used.  That recipe included wheat germ, ground flax seeds and whole flax seeds.  I want to make that version but I didn't have those ingredients on hand.  Happy, healthy eating!

http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/2011/03/chewy-no-bake-granola-bars.html