DIY Sunday: Making Your Own Granola Bars

We tend to eat a lot of granola bars at our house, or at work or on the road.  Our favorites are Larabars and KIND bars, but as you know they can get expensive with each being over $1 a bar.  When you have a husband who could easily eat 2 a day, your stash you had thought you stockpiled is suddenly very low.

So, I make my own.

I used to make this version and sell at the farmer's market.  But, as with anything sometimes you get sick of eating the same thing over and over, so I found a new recipe - which is pretty darn good!

I try and make a batch on the weekend to last us awhile, but let's be honest an 8x8 pan is often gone within 3 days or so.  Between the husband and our 2 year old, I seem to be constantly running out of groceries.  Unfortunately, I have a feeling it is only going to get worse.

Chocolate Nut Granola Bars

2 c. oats

1/4 c. flax seed

1/4 c. silvered almonds

1/2 c. chopped peanuts

1/4 c. flaked coconut

3/4 c. seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, etc.)

2/3 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. honey

4 T. butter

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. chocolate chips

Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients together.  Meanwhile in a small sauce pan combine brown sugar, honey, salt and butter.  Bring to a boil, constantly stirring, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour into dry ingredients, stirring to combine.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Press mixture down into pan, using buttered fingers or back of wooden spoon.  Place in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours, this will help to harden.

Once set, lift up on parchment papers and cut gently into bars.  Press straight down with knife, not sawing back and forth, or bars will crumble.  Immediately wrap in plastic wrap for individual bars.  Keep in fridge for storage.



Don't you want to bite into one of these?  We'll I'm not shipping you any, so get baking!

This weekend has us pretty much stuck in the house because of the recent snowfall, which for any other mothers out there, can make me want to pull my hair out sometimes.  I hope I'm not the only one who sometimes goes a little insane with two little ones in a confined space.

Please tell me I'm not alone...

I'll be keeping myself busy with laundry (never ends!), movie watching with the little man, cooking, cleaning and whatever else I step on (literally).  Have a great Sunday!