Chewy Nutty Healthy Granola Bars Food

CHEWY, NUTTY, HEALTHY GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch square baking dish.
• Stir peanut butter and melted butter together in a bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar, honey, corn syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt; stir. Mix applesauce into peanut butter mixture.
• Combine oats and flour in a bowl; toss to coat oats with flour. Stir peanuts and raisins into oat mixture. Pour peanut butter mixture over the oat mixture; stir to coat completely. Spread mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and continue baking until chocolate melts and edges begin to brown, about 5 minutes more. Spread melted chocolate chips with the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula to coat the top. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

HEALTHY THICK CHEWY GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Pre heat oven to 350°F Line an 8"x8"x2" pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper and the exposed pan or coat with a non-stick spray.
• Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, melted butter or margarine, liquid sweeteners, water, and nut butter until smooth. Toss the wet incredients witht eh dry until the mixture is evenly curmbly. Spread in the prepared pan, pressing them in firmly.
• Bake the bars for 28-35 minutes, until they're lightly browned on the edges. They will still sem soft and underbaked when you press the centre. Let cool fully before cutting in to squares with the serrated knife. I sometimes put them in the freezer befor cutting so the cut smoothly.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or in the freezer.
• *My favorite add ins are dried cherries, chocolate chips, pecans and seasme seeds. However you can add dried cranberries, apricots, apples, pears, walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, coconut, or any other dried fruit or nuts. I sometimes even add protien powder or dried greens.

(SUPER HEALTHY) CHEWY GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Toast oats for 5 minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat. Let cool.
• In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (including oats) and whisk together until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients until well blended.
• Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and blend gently until well moistened. Add any of the suggested additions now (see Step 8). Mixture should be moist but not too wet. If it seems too dry and crumbly, add a little more applesauce (by the spoonful).
• Line a 9in x 13in pan with parchment paper and press mixture into pan.
• Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Cut into bars while warm, but let cool completely before removing from pan.
• Suggested additions (add up to 2 cups of any of the following): chocolate chips, raisins (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes then drained), unsweetened shredded coconut, sunflower seeds (unsalted), pumpkin seeds (unsalted), dried fruit (like chopped apricots, cranberries), chopped toasted nuts.

HEALTHY NUTELLA® GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x11-inch baking dish.
• Stir raisins, 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons applesauce, chocolate-hazelnut spread, brown sugar, honey, corn syrup, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl.
• Combine oats and flour together in a resealable plastic bag, shake until mixed. Stir oat mixture into chocolate-hazelnut mixture; spread granola into prepared baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven until lightly brown, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into bars, about 1 hour.

STARBUCKS CHEWY FRUIT AND NUT BARS

Steps:

• Ingredient note: look in your health food aisle for a healthy alternative to Rice Krispies. The brand I found is made by Enviro-Kidz and uses BROWN rice.
• Prepare 9x13 pan with non-stick spray (or line with parchment paper).
• In a large mixing bowl, toss all dry ingredients. Feel free to substitute your preferred nut or dried fruit.
• In a saucepan, combine brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and allow to boil one minute. (Note: boiling the sugars is what helps the bars become firm and not sticky, so this step is important).
• After boiling, turn off heat; add vanilla and peanut butter. QUICKLY pour this hot mixture over the dry ingredients and toss to combine.
• Pour warm mixture into prepared pan. Wet your fingers and press the mixture down into the pan to compress the bars so they will slice evenly.
• When cool, use a sharp knife to cut into 18 bars (1 long lengthwise cut and 9 cuts across). Enjoy with a hot cup of Starbucks coffee for an authentic experience!
• Note: Starbucks does not list corn syrup in their ingredients, but the sweetener in their list is not readily available. I tried using Maple Syrup, but the bars were very crumbly and would not stay together in bars. Therefore, I found that Corn Syrup is the best ingredient that is readily available.

CHEWY GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Combine marshmallows, peanut butter, margarine, corn syrup, and vanilla in a micrvavable bowl.
• Microwave uncovered at 70% power for 30 seconds to 1 minute at a time, stirring often till blended.
• Stir in rest of ingredients.
• Spread in a greased 9x9" pan.
• Bake at 350F for 13-19 minutes or until set.
• Cool and cut into 16 bars; Delicious warm or at room temperature.

NUT-FREE CHEWY GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix oatmeal, flour, coconut, raisins, chocolate chips, flax seeds, wheat germ, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
• Add the vegetable oil and honey.
• Mix well until sticky. It is best to use your hands to make sure everything is turned together.
• Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
• Press mixture firmly into pan.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes. Granola bars will look soft when you take them out of the oven, but if you leave them in until they are brown they will be overcooked.
• Cut into bars while still warm.