Granola Bars

Yummy! My sister sent me the link to these granola bars.

It looked pretty easy, and the ingredients were almost identical to my favorite granola bars that are $5 a box. I'm eating lots of snacks these days (breastfeeding makes me hungry) so a cheaper snack option sounded good.

I made them Friday evening when I was home alone with the baby. They came together quickly and I just left them in the fridge overnight before cutting (rather than putting them in the freezer as suggested). I didn't measure precisely as I figured that granola was more like cooking than baking and thus probably forgiving. I'll definitely be making these again!

Notes and Next Time

• I left out the flax seed (since the baby was sleeping and I didn't want to wake her up by grinding them). I'd add them next time.
• My favorite granola bars (from Cascadian Organics) are basically the same but have rice puff cereal added. I'll do that next time as I think it'll make the bars lighter..
• Other nuts and fruit would be good. I'm thinking dried blueberries and hazelnuts, apricots and pecans.

Ingredients/Recipe

Chocolate Cranberry Almond No-Bake Granola Bars

1.5 cups whole oats

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup coarsely chopped and toasted almonds

2 x 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup ground flax

big sprinkle cinnamon

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

1 tsp butter-

1 tsp real vanilla extract

Directions:

coarsely chop almonds. toast on a baking sheet in oven until fragrant and toasty.- heat syrup and butter in small sauce pan over medium-heat until bubbling. stir frequently and let boil for a couple of minutes.- while waiting for syrup to bubble, mix all dry ingredients - once syrup has boiled for a few minutes, stir into dry ingredients.- press mixture firmly into greased (sprayed) small square cake pan. sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips, press firmly - put pan in freezer until totally chilled and firm. pop entire thing onto cutting board and cut into 12 pieces with big knife. store in refrigerator.