Chewy Granola Bars

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you. In search of healthy, homemade treats for my kids I tried a few different recipes for granola bars over the holiday break. After being underwhelmed by what was out there, I took it upon myself to come up with my own version. I love the resulting recipe and I hope you will, too! (I’ve even included a nut-free variation for allergy sufferers!)

Chewy Granola Bars
3 1/2 cups plain rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup salted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup white whole-wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (preferably Grade B)
1/3 cup natural almond butter
1/3 cup coconut oil (warmed just to a liquid state)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 13×9 baking dish with aluminum foil and spray lightly with oil. In a large bowl, combine oats, coconut, almonds, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, flour and salt; mix well.
2. In a separate bowl, combine honey, syrup, almond butter, coconut oil, canola oil, and vanilla; whisk to combine. Add liquid to oat mixture;  mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Use fingers to press oat mixture into an even layer (wet your fingertips to keep mixture from sticking.) Bake until surface of bars appears dry and edges are just golden, about 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack, then use foil to lift bars from pan. Carefully peel foil from bars, then use a serrated knife to cut into bars roughly 3 x 1.5 inches. Store bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or wrap individual bars in plastic wrap and freeze.

Variations:
Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip: substitute 1/2 cup salted peanuts (chopped) for the almonds and replace the almond butter with peanut butter.
Nut-Free Version: Omit almonds and double the amount of sunflower seeds. Substitute sunflower-seed butter for the almond butter. If desired, substitute canola oil for coconut oil.

Note: When I made the bars pictured, I added 1 cup of mini chocolate chips. Because the bars are already plenty sweet, I thought it was way too much and would halve it next time, which is why I’ve included a range in the ingredients list. (The kids, naturally, thought the chocolate amount was just right!)

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