Granola Bars

By ccavaletti

Ingredients

• Base:
• 3 c old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 c crispy brown rice cereal
• 1/4 tsp salt
• "Good Stuff":
• cups of any of the following:
• Dried Fruit:
• Apricots, banana, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, dates (chop if large)
• Toasted nuts:
• Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, peanuts, pecans, pistachios (chop if large)
• Toasted seeds:
• Flax, pepitas, sunflower
• Mini chocolate chips
• Unsweetened shredded coconut
• To Hold it Together:
• 2/3 c brown rice syrup or light corn syrup
• 1/2 c nut or seed butter (Almond, cashew, peanut, sunflower seed, tahini)
• 1 tsp flavoring (Extracts: Coconut, vanilla, or Ground Spices: Cardamom, cinnamon, ginger)

Details

Servings 24

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325º. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, letting it overhang two sides. Lightly coat with cooking spray.

Mix the dry stuff:
Combine the oats, rice cereal and salt in a large bowl. Add the "Good Stuff".

Combine the syrup, nut or seed butter and flavoring in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds (or heat in a saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute).

Add to the dry ingredients and stir until evenly combined. Firmly press into the prepared pan with a spatula.

For chewier bars, bake until barely starting to color around the edges and still soft in the middle, 20 to 25 minutes.
For crunchier bars, bake until golden brown around the edges and somewhat firm in the middle, 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Using the overhanging parchment, lift the bars out of the pan onto a cutting board.

Cut into 24 bars and let cool without moving, for about 30 minutes, before separating the bars.

To make ahead: Individually wrap and store at room temperature for 1 week.


Some suggested combinations:

Cranberry Almond:
1 c dried cranberries, 1/2 c almonds, 1/2 c pecans, 1/2 c smooth almond butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract.


Apricot Sunflower:
1 c dried apricots, 1/2 c pepitas, 1/2 c sunflower seeds, 1/2 c smooth sunflower butter, tsp ground cinnamon.


Blueberry Cashew:
1 c dried blueberries, 1/2 c cashews, 1/2 c flaxseed, 1/2 c smooth cashew butter, 1 tsp coconut extract.


Banana Peanut:
1 c dried bananas, 1/2 c macadamia nuts, 1/2 c peanuts, 1/2 c smooth peanut butter, 1 tsp ground ginger.


Cherry-Chocolate Chip:
1 c dried cherries, 1/3 c almonds, 1/3 c mini chocolate chips, 1/3 c unsweetened shredded coconut, 1/2 c smooth almond butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract.


Date Pistachio:
1 c pitted dates, 1/2 c hazelnuts, 1/2 c pistachios, 1 tsp ground cardamom.



From Eating Well Magazine, September/October 2017.