Homemade Granola Bars

I know this is not a normal posting day but I had two people in the past 24 hours ask me about home made granola bars. So, I figured that it was sign to do a post about it.

As part of my crusade to create a more simple life I have come to the conclusion that I need to make more things instead of buying them. One of those things are granola bars.

Ah yes, the granola bar. The thing you grab in the morning as a quick breakfast as you run out the door or get lunches ready for children, or you are making everyone else's breakfast. A lot of the store bought ones are dry, too sweet, or full of ingredients I don't know how to pronounce. They also cost a bunch. I knew I had to make  my own. That way I could stretch my dollars and provide something for my family that was healthier and not so full of unpronounceable ingredients.

So I turned to the glorious internet to solve my problem and I found this recipe. This was a great base but there were somethings I wanted to change, so I did. I was able to tweak it to meet my families needs and likes. This is such a versatile recipe. If there is something you don't like, leave it out, if you want to add something go ahead.

So the following is my family's version that I love. And, most importantly, my husband and children love. I hope you love it too. The only negative about this recipe is that it is so yummy you will want to eat the whole pan! (But is that really bad?)

In a large bowl combine
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour (all-purpose is fine)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chocolate chips (it is a heaping cup full)
2 Tbsp raw sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (I sometimes leave the seeds out, my four year old is not always partial to them)
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp sea salt (I usually just measure it in my 1 tsp measuring spoon and have just a bit less than full.)

In a smaller bowl combine
1/3 cup melted unsalted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 banana mashed
1 egg, well beaten
2 tsp vanilla

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until mixture is moist throughout. Put into a greased 9"x13" pan and bake in a 350F preheated oven for 24 minutes. These freeze well, though we usually go through the pan before freezing them would be necessary.

Tips

• put ripe or over ripe bananas in the freezer. You can put them straight in, no need to wrap them. The peel will turn brown, so don't worry. When you are ready to use them just set them on the counter to thaw, in a pinch you can thaw them in the microwave. The banana will turn squishy and will be easier to mash. It eliminates waste and helps you always have bananas on hand for recipes.
• If you don't want to use bananas you can substitute applesauce. I use 1/2 cup of applesauce. I prefer to use the banana because the granola bars seem more moist, but sometimes I forget to buy bananas and replenish my freezer supply.
• The original recipe called for honey. I prefer to use maple syrup. You can exchange maple syrup for honey in any recipe using a ration of 1:1. I buy my maple syrup in 4L bottles from the mennonites who live around Waterloo. If you can't find a bulk supplier in your location, you can use the honey or another type of liquid sweetener, you may just have to play with the amounts.
• If you buy bulk maple syrup you can store it in the freezer with no ill effects. I usually have two 4L bottles in my freezer at any given time and then I use them to refill the bottle I keep in the refrigerator for day to day use.