Granola Bars

When i go to the grocery store and look at the boxes of granola bars, carefully reading the ingredients and nutritional information, I always think "well, I might as well buy cookies!" So I am experimenting with making my own chewy granola bars that are actually healthier than what is offered at the store. Most of what's at the store except Kashi also have high fructose corn syrup as a main ingredient. Disgusting! While I LOVE Kashi products, they are expensive.

Pre-heat oven to 400 F
You will need:
3 cups oats (not instant)
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup flax meal
3/4 seeds (your choice)
1 cup crushed nuts
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
4 TBS butter
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (if you use salted butter, do NOT add salt)
8 oz dried fruit

** To crush your nuts, put them in a plastic bag and smash them with a mallet, rolling pin, sauce pan etc.

Mix the nuts, oats, wheat germ, seeds in a baking dish with sides Toast them in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes. Stir every few minutes so they don’t burn. Meanwhile, line a glass baking dish (11X13 inches or there abouts) with wax paper. Parchment paper works too.

Lightly spray with nonstick spray Put the brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla and salt into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. By now, your nuts and grains should be toasted, so mix everything in a large bowl. Add dried fruit. Turn off your stove – you don’t need it anymore.

Mix everything REALLY WELL!

Dump your granola mixture into the baking dish.

Fold over the sides of the wax paper or add a sheet on top. PRESS HARD all over the granola. You want to compact it together so that the bars won’t fall apart when you cut them.

Wait 2 – 3 hours or until the granola had totally cooled. Then open the waxed paper. Firmly pressing down with a big knift (not swinging) cut your granola into whatever size you want. You can either wrap in plastic wrap, or store in an air tight container with wax paper in between layers.

OR  you can bake them in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes.