Berry Granola Bars

  • Berry Granola Bars

    Oh, January.  It’s the time of year for good intentions to be born and fizzled by the 31st, like your resolution to eat better or move your body more or detox or quit drinking (gasp! I just read about this thing- it’s an actual thing- called Dry January, and then promptly made another White Russian.  If you’re actually going to exercise and eat healthful-ish, who wants to start the year without the heady glow of booze to make the month glide by?  Bottoms up.).

    Thankfully I’ve found a tasty way for you to feel all Healthy while you’re on this short-lived kick, and then you can revert to the good stuff once February rolls around (trust me- I have something decadent in store for you just in time for Valentine’s Day, the day you’ll profess your love to me for bringing sweets back into your life).  This recipe is one of those compromises that doesn’t feel like you’ve gotten the raw end of the deal, because the sugar and honey grease the skids in a “spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down” sort of way.  Protein and fiber cancel out sugar, no?  (But really.  If you’re on the healthy train, this is a pretty decent choice.  You can swap the sugar for Sucanet if you’ve really bought into the health thing, or if you really want to make your healthy month a low-glycemic 31 days.  Either way, these bars will be amazing.)

    Adapted from Food Network’s recipe…

    3 cups rolled oats

    1 cup sliced almonds

    1/2 cup salted sunflower seeds

    1/4 cup wheat germ

    7 tablespoons butter

    2/3 cup brown sugar

    1/2 cup honey plus 2 tablespoons

    2 teaspoons vanilla

    1 teaspoon salt

    2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

    1 tablespoon chia seeds

    2/3 cup chopped dried berries (cherries, blueberries, strawberries)

    1/3 cup raisins

    1. Preheat oven to 350º and toast oats, almonds, sunflower seeds and wheat germ on a rimmed baking sheet for 10 minutes.  Pour into a large bowl once slightly cooled.
    2. In a small saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla and salt together.  When sugar is dissolved, mix into oat mixture in bowl.
    3. Stir in flax seeds, chia seeds, berries and raisins.
    4. Spread evenly into a lightly greased foil-lined 9 x 13″ baking pan, and bake for about 20 minutes (until lightly browned).  Allow to cool and cut into bars.

    Tips:

    • Like your granola chewier?  Bake for just under the 20-minute mark.  Like the bars crunchy?  Let them bake until they are a bit darker brown.
    • Prefer a different flavor?  Oh my gosh- you can go totally crazy with this recipe.  Switch the nuts (pecans would be amazing) and the fruit (dried apricots or apples would be great, too).  Add chocolate chips or cacao nibs if you have that whole chocoholic thing happening in your life.
    • No wheat germ or chia seeds or flax seeds?  Skip them.  Just decrease the butter by a tablespoon and the honey to 1/3 cup.  (Warning- these won’t be as healthy, but whatever.)
    • These freeze well.
    • Enjoy!

     

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    January 23rd, 2016 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: , ,

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