Gluten Free Chewy Playgroup Granola Bars Food

GLUTEN-FREE GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Mix syrup and peanut butter in a saucepan over low heat until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat. Stir about half the chocolate chips into the syrup mixture.
• Mix remaining chocolate chips, almonds, cashews, oatmeal, crispy rice cereal, and flax seed meal in a bowl.
• Pour the mixture from the saucepan over the mixture in the bowl; stir to evenly coat.
• Transfer mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish and press into an even layer; allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

PLAYGROUP GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
• In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

GLUTEN FREE "GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Butter an 8 X 10 inch pan generously OR line it with parchment paper than also comes up the sides of the pan about 1/2 of an inch.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Toast your nuts/seeds in the oven for a few minutes until slightly golden. While you are doing this, make your "granola glue" or peanut butter sauce.
• To make the "granola glue" or peanut butter sauce, combine honey and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Heat, while stirring, until the brown sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a simmer and simmer for 1-2 minutes until evenly foamy/bubbly on top. Remove from the heat. Add one teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir (it will steam a bit). Add peanut butter and stir briskly until lumps are gone and the consistency is uniform.
• Mix granola base (oats or cereal) with your toasted nuts/seeds. Pour peanut butter mixture over the top and stir until evenly distributed. Add dried fruit and stir again to distribute.
• Pour mixture into pan (on to parchment paper). Spread evenly and then press down in to the bottom of the pan. Press the granola together firmly.
• Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely (it will firm up as it cools) before cutting.
• Cut into bars (1″ wide and 4″ long). Wrap bars in cling wrap or wax paper and store in a Ziploc bag or airtight container on the counter until consumed. (I've store mine up to 10 days, but it depends on the weather.) These can be refrigerated; however, I haven't tried freezing them yet.

HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Start by being sure your dates are relatively soft. If they are not, soak in hot water for 5 to 30 minutes. Drain off liquid, reserving if needed.
• Line an 8x8 or 7x3 pan with parchment paper or wax paper.
• Process dates in a food processor fitted with an s blade until a thick paste forms. Add in honey/maple syrup, coconut oil, nut butter, vanilla, and salt. Pulse until combined and creamy.
• Add in oats and pulse until just combines and all the oats are moistened well, adding up to 2 tablespoons of the reserved soaking liquid from dates if needed.
• Stir in any mix-ins into the batter you desire.
• Place mixture into prepared pan. Using mositened hands or a piece of wax paper, spread out mixture as evenly as possible.
• Place in fridge or freezer for 15 minutes until set up. Then slice into bars.
• Store these bars wrapped individually in wax paper and stored in the fridge.

GLUTEN FREE CHEWY PLAYGROUP GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan or a cookie sheet.
• In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, flax seed, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. (*If mixture isn't sticking together add 1 teaspoon of Xanthum gum)Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

NUT FREE CHEWY GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a mixing bowl, combine oats, salt and cinnamon.
• In small saucepan, combine honey and coconut oil. Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Turn the heat off and stir in the vanilla.
• Pour honey mixture into the oats and stir until well combined.
• Stir in pepitas and dried cranberries if adding. Once the mixture has cooled slightly, add in chocolate chips.
• Spoon mixture into your parchment lined pan and spread evenly. Spray a small amount of cooking spray onto your hands and press the mixture firmly into the pan so that it stays together.
• Place the pan in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Remove the bars with the parchment paper and cut into 12 even bars. Enjoy!