March 3, 2010
granolabartop

my mother-in-law has done it again.
homemade granola bars!
perfectly soft and chewy, corn-syrup free, all natural,
full of protein, and best of all.. outrageously yummy.
this is groundbreaking.

granolabar

this winter, grant's mom created a healthy, homemade granola bar as a substitute for the pricey health food store bars she'd been buying, and our family hasn't been the same since. for about two weeks now i've been popping these guilt-free treats out of the freezer and into grant's lunch sack in the morning. (one batch has lasted us this long!) we love love love them. grant will even email over his lunch break and remind me how much he loves them. so judy, we owe you. big time.

mom judy's homemade granola bars.

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. flax seed, milled
3/4 c. shelled sunflower seeds
1 c. chopped nuts (any kind or combination)
1 c. shredded coconut
1/2 to 1 tsp. cinnamon (desired amount)
1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. brown sugar or your favorite natural sweetener
1/2 c. honey
2 tsp. molasses
4 T. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
4 T. peanut butter
1 c. dried, chopped fruit (optional)

1. mix first 8 ingredients together and place on a rimmed baking sheet. toast in a 400 degree oven for 12 minutes. stir and let cool at least 15 minutes.
2. bring next 4 ingredients to a simmer, stirring continuously. stir in the vanilla and peanut butter and cool for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. put the toasted ingredients and dried fruit in a large bowl and pour the liquid ingredients over it. mix very well.
4. place parchment or wax paper in the rimmed baking sheet and butter the top side, then place the granola bar mixture in the pan. put another butter sheet of paper, buttered side down, on top of the mixture and press down. roll with a rolling pin to make it very tight, smooth, and even.
5. let set for 2-3 hours and cut into desired bar size. makes about 20-24 bars. package in snack size bags or an airtight container. if not using within next few days, store in freezer. they keep very well, and thaw quickly. (really yummy frozen, too!)

32 comments:

Renee said...

summer, thanks for sharing this! I just spent a small fortune on protein bars to keep in my purse. Now, I will keep these!

kristin said...

i can't WAIT to make these. i tried making some from my cookbook and they weren't chewy. thanks!

ChelseaF said...

Too yummy! I'm so on the healthy side of things, but these would be oh-so-tasty with mini chocolate chips...lol Thanks for sharing! :)

Unknown said...

What a great recipe! I will definitely be trying these! We too have the problem of having to buy loads of Kashi bars...because everything else is just loaded with sugar! Thank you so much...they also look delicious!!

LobotoME said...

yum!

marta said...

wow. summer, i am totally intrigued. i wonder if i'll be brave enough to give these a go. they look awesome! your family recipes never disappoint, summer. thank you for sharing.

p.s. have i mentioned yet that we've had homemade pizza night every week thanks to you!?! dan is in heaven. last time we did bbq chicken. hooray for good food.. xo.

Liz said...

Ohh yum. Definitely bookmarking this page for the future! Thanks for the recipe!

kristin brown said...

whoa... about two hours before i read this i wondered to myself if there was a way to make yummy, healthy granola bars... and then it popped up in my google reader! thanks, i am so excited to try them!

p.s. i found your blog through marta's workshop this week--love it!

Anneliese said...

this is now on my to do list! shawn will die.

Tesa said...

I've been looking for a recipe like this for a long time! Thanks soooo much for sharing! Can't wait to mix some up.

Rachel said...

Printing right now! My guy loves chewy granola bars and it's hard to find a recipe that is chewy.

Aunt Kayleen said...

Can't wait to try these, Summer!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!

Unknown said...

these look amazing! i'd love to use a handmade alternative to the cliff bars i spend so much $$ on!

Liz said...

Summer thank you so much for the comment! I will definitely let you know how the book goes. I started it last night and let's just say I am truly inspired...and I'm only in a few pages!

Have a great day!

[eeny] said...

They look so yummy. I am going to try these. Thanks for sharing.

sheena said...

oh. yum.

Brea said...

BRILLIANT Aunt Judy!!! Yay! Her homemade granola is one of my faves and now we can eat it in the car on the way to school without sticking our tongues in the ziplok bags! Yesssss

nataliep. said...

thanks for sharing this recipe. i would love to try and make these. they look very good!

Amanda Mae said...

mmmm... just came across your blog and I'm drooling over these granola bars... If I can muster the energy, I will make these tonight!

jenniferhoiyin said...

i love all the grains, can't wait to try it! xoxo

sewvandervort said...

I made these granola bars and they are absolutely delicious!! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!

Kelly said...

These sound yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

Estee Renee said...

I printed this recipe shortly after you posted it and it has been stuck in my "too try" pile for too long. I mixed up a batch, added dried cranberries and dried apricots and.. AM IN LOVE! Summer, these are UH-MAY-ZING!!!!!! Much thanks to you and "Mom Judy"... have a blessed summer at camp!

becca said...

So pretty! And healthy and yummy and fun to make, too, I'm sure.

Melanie Anne said...

Mmm I can't wait to try this recipe out! I am really interested in finding good homemade snacks so we can cut back on all the processed stuff. And with 5 boys we go thru a lot of granola bars!! Thanks so much for the great recipe! I have really loved your blog--it is like a breath of fresh air!

Brittany said...

I made this lovely little delights last night and they are absolutely delicious! Chewy with a hint of peanut butter goodness. Never again will I buy granola bars from the store. Cheers!

Anonymous said...

I really want to try these granola bars. I'm just not sure about the quinoa. Do you throw it in raw or do you cook it first? Is it all the same when buying it? I'm not familiar with quinoa so any advice would be appreciated!

Jenny said...

Anonymous, you don't need to cook the quinoa.

Thank you for this recipe! I'm trying to cook/bake healthier this year, and these are SO good! I just made them and even though they haven't set up yet, I've been snacking on them because they are so delicious!

Anonymous said...

My daughter brought me this recipe quite some time ago. After reading the ingredients I was excited that she wanted something healthy. Very easy to make. My only question is "how long do we simmer the syrup mixture?" My bars are very soft and was thinking I should have simmered a little longer so that they may hold together better. However, the are so DELICIOUS! THANK YOU FOR SHARING!

Joaniebelle said...

Hello. I know I'm late to this party. But I can't see quinoa listed in the ingredients but saw something about it in the comments. How much do I add? I would love to make these. They sound yummy and so perfect!

summer said...

@Joaniebelle Hi there! You can add 1/4 cup quinoa, if you like! I actually started leaving it out because I didn't have any on hand, and then as I read more about quinoa, I realized that it is REALLY hard to digest when it's just raw like that. So, you don't NEED it in there, you can add a little more oats or nuts, if you want to! :)

Thomas B. Brown said...

From classic flavors like Oats & Honey and Chocolate Chip Granola Bars, to Granola and Fruit & Grain Bars, each of our granola treats is made with high-quality ingredients like Grade A honey or dark chocolate chunks. Made fresh in our family bakery, we believe in giving the best back to your family. Find your favorite snack or reach for a new favorite today! Click here to check on AMAZON

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about this blog

Hello, I'm Summer. A people-loving introvert whose hope and life is in Jesus. His promises are my passion and my ministry is homelife. This blog is a place for me to write about everyday things. Especially food. My favorite thing to do is sit around a table, lingering over a long meal with good conversation. I live with my husband and our 2 littles. We like blizzards, thrifting, grammar, guacamole, cheerful hearts, nice manners, good movies, and making simple, real, nutrient-dense food.

"If Christ be anything, He must be everything."
-C.H. Spurgeon

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