Ajax loves helping me make granola bars. It is his most favorite thing to assist with in the kitchen. I think because he likes taste testing all the individual ingredients as we add them in. He’ll say, rolled oats mom, can I try some? Then it’ll be, oh coconut, can I try some? So on and so forth. Today when we were making them, his “helping” became a bit too adventurous and he put the mixer on high, sending flour and oats flying all over the kitchen. I was none too pleased. Anywho, we love this recipe and I make it every 2 weeks for lunches. I have never done a cost/benefit analysis so I don’t know if these are cheaper than buying a box at the store, but we like them better and I enjoy making them, so that’s good enough for me.
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup butter, softened* (I use coconut oil)
1 cup honey - Wheat germ (I never measure, I just dump some in)
- Add-ins: 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped walnuts
other options include dried fruits, sunflower seeds, coconut, nuts… I always add in sliced almonds, coconut, and raisins.
Lightly butter a 9×13-inch pan. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients except add-ins. Beat hard until combined. Stir in add-ins. Press mixture into pan — really jam it in there so your bars don’t fall apart. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing and serving. (You could also add in maple syrup as a sweetener, but it will not act as a binding agent, so you will still need the honey to hold your bars together. I’ve reduced the honey and added syrup with good results).
