Homemade Granola Bars

If you have been lately searching for healthy, low-fat, lower starch, higher fiber and more-veggie filled meals, then this article is definitely your pick. Available in an assortment of flavors and styles, granola bars are for every bon vivant. While some granola bars are chewy, others are crunchy. Also, some granula bars include a long list of ingredients; while there are others that simply contain a few of them. Some bars are made from prepared granola, while others call for common granola which includes rolled oats, nuts, fruit and various sweeteners. However, not all granola bars are healthy as most of them are loaded with copious amounts of sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Hence, to find healthy granola bars, you have to look in for the various ingredients that have gone into their making. For a better choice, how about preparing some scrumptious and mouth-watering granola bars at home. Baking these easy and nutritious snacks can be fun, given the various ingredients as per your choice. Check out the recipes listed herein and get ready to prepare a few. Try them out with dollops of yogurt, milk, honey, banana chucks or strawberries!

Homemade Granola Bars Recipes

Fruit, Nutty, Whole Grain Bars

Ingredients

1 cup Rolled Oats
½ cup Sunflower Seeds (shelled)
½ cup Wheat Germ (toasted)
¼ cup Whole-Wheat Flour
½ cup dried Apricots
½ cup dried Cranberries
½ cup dried Dates (pitted)
½ cup raw Almonds
½ cup Nonfat Dry Milk
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/3 cup pure Maple Syrup
2 large Eggs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and set aside.
Take a large food processor and combine together oats, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, flour, apricots, cranberries, dates, almonds, milk and cinnamon. Process the ingredients till they are finely chopped and well blended.
Add in maple syrup and eggs. Pulse the mixture again to perfectly blend it.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake the mixture for about 15 to 20 minutes till it turns brown.
Remove the mixture and cook it on a wire rack for around 10 to 15 minutes.
Cut the mixture into bars of your desired shape and size.
Cool them completely and store in an airtight container. The bars would keep well for up to 3 days.

Chewy Granola Bars

Ingredients

¾ cup Rolled Oats (not instant)
¼ cup chopped Nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pecans)
2 tbsp unsalted Sunflower/Pumpkin Seeds (optional)
2 tbsp Wheat Germ
½ cup Whole Wheat Flour
½ tsp Baking Powder
¼ tsp Salt
½ tsp Cinnamon (ground)
½ cup Canola/Vegetable Oil
½ cup firmly packed Dark Brown Sugar
1 large Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
½ cup dried Fruit (raisins, chopped dates, chopped apricots, cranberries, etc.)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a foil in an 8-inch baking pan to overhang the sides of the pan by at least an inch. Thereafter, grease the foil lightly.
Generously scatter oats, nuts and seeds on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes till they are lightly toasted. Stir them once or twice between baking.
Remove the mixture and leave it for complete cooling.
Mix together wheat germ, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl. Whisk well until blended.
Take a large mixing bowl and combine oil with dark brown sugar using a whisk. Continue to stir, until the mixture turns smooth.
Add in egg and vanilla. Stir well.
Add the flour mixture into the sugar concoction and mix well.
Thereafter, add in the cooled oat mixture and assorted dried fruit. Stir well until well blend.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake the mixture for about 20 to 25 minutes until well set.
Remove the mixture from the oven and cool it on a wire rack.
Lift the granola mixture from the pan using the overhanging foil and place it on a cutting board.
Slice the granola mixture into desired shapes and sizes.
Store the granola bars at room temperature in an airtight container.
These granola bars can be kept up to 5 days.

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