These easy peasy homemade granola bars are one of my favorite recipes. The kind that you can remember easily and you really can't mess up!
Why homemade?
I never thought twice about buying granola bars at the grocery store until I became an avid label reader. It shocked me to discover how much junk was in products that I believed to be "healthy".
I was mad. I thought I had been doing the right things. Only to find many of the products that I had been buying and eating were full of extra sugars, corn syrups, and artificial dyes (and I wasn't buying the obviously unhealthy "chocolate covered, marshmallow bits, etc" ones!) Don't even get me started on the marketing towards children with this poison!
The more labels I looked at, the more I realized that the only way to get a product I would truly be happy with for myself and my family would be to make my own. Are they more work than buying off the shelf, sure. I've learned to double or triple this recipe and freeze some which saves me time...something that all of us momma's need more of! The peace of mind knowing that I'm feeding my family a better version of one of their favorites is well worth the extra 15 minutes it takes me to make them!
Easy Peasy Homemade Granola Bars
Ingredients:
2 cups almond butter
1/2 cup local honey
1/2 cup protein powder of choice (I like to use this one)
2 cups oatmeal
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried organic wolfberries
1/4 cacao nibs (or mini chocolate chips)
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
2 tablespoons wheat germ
Optional add ins:
raisins
dried cranberries or other dried fruit
walnuts
pepitas
shredded coconut
Directions:
- In a bowl, combine dry ingredients: protein, oatmeal, flax seed, wheat germ, cinnamon, wolfberries, cacao nibs and almonds.
- In medium sauce pan, combine almond butter and honey over medium heat, stirring until mixed well.
- Pour honey mixture over dry ingredients, mixing until thoroughly combined.
- Spread mixture into a 8x8 pan lined with wax paper, pressing mixture into pan. When cooled, cut into desired size bars.
There is really no right or wrong to these. Throw in whatever ingredients your family likes. Sub out items you don't have on hand or don't care for. Mine change often to shake things up a bit. Sometimes I'll add vanilla extract. Sometimes almond. Sometimes I'll add in a drop of cinnamon bark vitality essential oil to the honey mixture or add pumpkin pie spice for some variety. Make your own version to call your favorite!
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