Granola Bars

Homemade Granola Bars

Lately I've been trying to be a little healthier, but I've have trouble thinking up new recipes. It's a lot easier to come up with an original dessert than a healthy snack! Eventually I thought of making homemade granola bars. I expected them to be extremely difficult to make, but they were surprisingly very simple. The recipe is also very flexible, so you can add more or less of pretty much anything in it, (for example, if you don't like coconut, you could substitute in something else or just leave it out entirely and reduce the amount of liquid you use).  However, there are a few things you probably don't want to leave out or change, such as the oats and flour. Happy Cooking!

Ingredients

• 2 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds
• 3/4 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup Wheat Germ
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup peanuts (optional)
• 1/4 cup raisins (optinoal)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F
2. Mix together oats, almonds and coconut and spread out on  a cookie sheet. Place in oven and toast for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionaly.
3. Reduce oven heat to 300 degree F (Remove oat, almond, and coconut mixture from oven and place in a large bowl).
4. Add Wheat Germ, flour, peanuts, raisins, and cinnamon to oat, almond, and coconut mixture. Mix together. 
5. In a small saucepan, melt butter.
6. Add honey, maple syrup and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir for about one minute.
7. Pour wet mixture into the dry and stir to combine.
8. Allow mixture to cool slightly before adding the chocolate chips (or they will melt).
9. Grease a 9x13 pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Add mixture and press it evenly into the bottom of the pan. 
10. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden brown.
11. Allow to cool completely ( about 2 hours). Cut into any shape you desire (Who says granola bars have to be boring old rectangles? Get creative!) You can store these at room temperature in plastic baggies if desired.