Chewy Granola Bars!

Finding snacks that pack well, taste good, and will actually fill up little tummies is hard work. My son loves granola bars, but they can get expensive (not to mention sugary), particularly when he eats 6 of them at a time. I found a recipe at Kitchen Stewardship for granola bars. The whole family agrees that they're delicious (minus the baby who can't have honey yet). They hold together well. And while the ingredients can get rather expensive (1 cup honey and 1 cup butter per recipe), I don't think they'll end up costing any more than store-bought granola bars (probably less). However, they are much more wholesome and filling. So it should take us longer to go through them and actually tide us over for longer. They're not hard to make either. It's a good thing to throw together while you're baking something else anyways.

Chewy Granola Bars


4 1/2 cups rolled oats (toast ahead of time for some extra flavor)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup honey
2 cup add-ins such as chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, coconut, and sunflower seeds

 Grease a 9x13 or large jelly roll pan.  In a large mixing bowl combine butter and honey.

Add 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.  (Getting your hands wet and then using them is the most effective method that I've found.)  Bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into bars.  Let bars cool completely in pan before removing and serving.

Variations:

• Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder and skip the chocolate chips
• Use 1/2 cup natural peanut butter in place of 1/2 cup of butter

Rosemary

BTW, if anyone finds a recipe for something like a Clif Kid Z Bar, please let me know! I think they're pretty great, but they're EXPENSIVE.