Homemade Healthy Granola Bars
Yield: Approximately 12 bars
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups oats (old-fashioned or quick oats)
3/4 cup chopped nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, or cashews)
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup almond butter (or any nut butter of your choice)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325℉.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, chopped nuts, coconut flakes, and pumpkin seeds. Mix well.
Spread ingredients evenly over a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes
In a small saucepan on low heat, heat the honey and almond butter until they are easy to stir together. Add the vanilla when the mixture is smooth.
When the dry ingredients are done toasting, pour into a mixing bowl. Pour the warm honey and almond butter mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
Stir everything together until the oats and other dry ingredients are well coated with the wet mixture. Ensure all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Wait until the mixture has cooled slightly and then add the chocolate chips (so the chips don't melt).
Bring your oven temperature down to 300℉.
Line an 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some excess paper hanging over the edges to make it easier to lift the bars later.
Transfer the granola mixture into the lined dish. Use a spatula or your hands to press it down firmly and evenly.
Bake for 15-20 minutes. The longer the bars bake, the crunchier they will be.
After letting the bars cool, lift them out of the dish using the parchment paper overhang.
Place the block of granola on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut it into 12 bars.
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
