Healthy Granola Bars Recipe

2 cups		Oats, old-fashioned large flake
1/3 cup		Whole grain flour (Spelt, Kamut, whole wheat, etc.)
1/2 tsp		Salt
1/2 tsp		Cinnamon
1/2 cup		Dried Apples, chopped
1/2 cup		Dried Currants
1 1/2 cup		Raisins
1/2 cup		Pumpkin Seeds
1/4 cup		Sunflower Seeds
1/2 cup		Hemp seeds, raw and shelled
1/2 cup		Peanut Butter, crunchy (make sure there is only peanuts listed in the ingredients)
3/4 cup		Honey
2 Tbsp		Butter
1 tsp		Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup		Applesauce (as always, I'd recommend homemade!)

Directions

Measure dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir.
In a microwave safe bowl, measure the peanut butter, honey and butter. Microwave for about 40-50 seconds or until honey is bubbling. Mix well.
Stir or whisk the applesauce and vanilla into the honey mixture.
Pour the warm, liquid ingredients on to the dry ingredients and stir until evenly coated.
Put a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet with at least 2 inch sides. Spread the granola out on the baking sheet, about an inch and a half thick (it will lose about half an inch in the next step).
Wet the back of a spoon or fork with water and then press down to softly pack the granola bar mixture. Wet the spoon again if it starts sticking to and rising up with the spoon. This will help the granola bars stay together later on.
To make this granola bar recipe vegan friendly, simply substitute raw agave nectar, maple syrup or a combination of the two for the honey and use 2 Tbsp of olive oil in place of the butter. If you choose to use these substitutions, keep a close eye on the granola bars in the last 10 minutes or so of baking so they don't get burnt.

Baking Instructions

Bake at 300F for about 40 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars. I usually wait about an hour to be safe and sometimes I put them in the fridge to chill them a little. This recipe makes about 16 granola bars for me but it depends on how you cut them.

I store the granola bars in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer (depending on how long I think they'll last) and then in the morning I just put one in a ziploc bag that I keep and reuse daily. You can also wrap individual bars in parchment paper, saran wrap, or tin foil. Freeze great!

Note: You can add anything you want to these things! I've tried carob chips or dark chocolate chips (which go amazing with dried cherries, by the way) and all sorts of other seeds, nuts and dried fruit.