Granola Bars With Chocolate Food

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
• In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, peanut butter, corn syrup, applesauce, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together the oats, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, cereal rings and wheat germ. Stir the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture until evenly coated. Press lightly into the prepared pan.
• Bake or 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until slightly golden. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

HEALTHY BROWNIE GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Optional step: Toast your oats and pecans in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven for 15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Otherwise, leave them raw - I prefer the toasted flavor.
• Process walnuts in a food processor until a loose meal is reached. Remove from bowl and set aside.
• Add dates and process until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a "dough" like consistency. (Mine rolled into a ball).
• Add walnut meal and cocoa or cacao powder back in with the dates and process to combine.
• Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the (toasted) oats and nuts and stir to combine. You may have to use your hands to really incorporate the mixture well.
• Next, warm honey and almond butter in a small skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until combined and pourable. Pour over brownie mixture and then thoroughly stir using a wooden spoon. (I opted to put plastic bags on my hands and mix that way to better incorporate the mixture.)
• Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to a 9×13 dish (or similar size pan // adjust if altering batch size) lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily.
• If using a 9x13, ONLY USE 3/4 of the pan so they have the proper thickness. Otherwise they'll be too thin. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap and press down firmly to even out the top. Freeze for 15-20 minutes to harden.
• Lift bars from pan and chop into 12 even bars (or more if you prefer). Store in an airtight container in the freezer or fridge to keep them extra fresh. They will get a little sticky when left out at room temp.

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper so that it hangs over the edges.
• *Optional - spread oats on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast in the oven for 7-10 minutes shaking the pan occasionally until just starting to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool a few minutes.
• Transfer the cooled oats to a large bowl and add the dried fruit, nuts, cacao powder and salt, stir to mix.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth.
• Fold in the chia seeds and cacao nibs if using until combined.
• Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish, pressing into the corners and flattening the top.
• Bake for 30 minutes, remove from oven and place on a rack to cool for 10-15 minutes.
• Remove the bars from the dish by lifting the edges of the parchment paper up and place directly on the rack until cooled completely.
• Cut into 8 pieces and store wrapped tightly or in an air tight container. Bars will keep at room temperature for about 5 days or up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large pot, combine the butter, brown sugar and honey. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.
• Add the oats, rice cereal, almonds and flax meal (or wheat germ) to the pan and fold with a rubber spatula until well combined.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press down lightly with a rubber spatula to even out. Sprinkle the miniature chocolate chips over top, adding more or less to suit your taste, and press down firmly with the spatula so the chips stick.The mixture should be tightly compacted in the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 1½ - 2 hours to cool.
• Use the foil overhang to transfer the uncut bars to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into rectangles. Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you have to stack them, be sure to use parchment paper or foil in between the layers, otherwise they'll stick together and fall apart.
• Note: If you are substituting dried fruit for the chocolate chips, mix it in along with the other ingredients as opposed to sprinkling over top.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The granola bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, move them to the refrigerator and store there.

GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl, toss the oats with the canola oil, melted butter and salt. Spread the mixture out on 2 baking sheets and toast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the pan twice and making sure they don't burn. Remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, honey, apple juice and molasses. Heat the mixture slowly, stirring until all combined. Stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat.
• Toss together the toasted oats, rice cereal, wheat germ, pecans and almonds. Pour in the sugar mixture, stirring as you pour. Toss to combine; it will be sticky.
• Press into 1 baking sheet (thoroughly greased with butter) and bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut pieces with a sharp knife and remove from the pan. You can cut them while they're still warm if that's easier.
• Dip the cooled granola bars straight into the melted chocolate so that the top is plain and the bottom is chocolate-covered. Set on parchment until set, sticking in the fridge to hasten this along if necessary.

GRANOLA BARS WITH CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Generously butter or oil a 9-by-9-inch metal or glass baking pan.
• Melt the butter over medium heat in a wide saucepan. Add the flaked grains or oats. Stir over medium heat until the grains are lightly toasted, taking care not to let them burn. Stir until they are beginning to smell toasty and have slightly darkened, six to seven minutes. Remove from the heat, and transfer to a bowl. Add the flaxseed meal, the cinnamon and the salt. Wipe the pan clean.
• Combine the honey, vanilla and brown sugar in the pan in which you toasted the oats. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil five minutes. Pour over the oat mixture, and stir until it is evenly distributed over the mixture. Allow to cool for five minutes, then stir in the chocolate pieces.
• Scrape into the pan, and spread evenly. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Do not allow to brown or the bars will be hard instead of chewy. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool. Cut into 16 to 20 pieces, and store in an airtight container.

ROCKY ROAD GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray, line the bottom with parchment paper and set aside.
• Combine the oats, flax seed, digestive biscuits, walnuts and chocolate chips in a large heat-proof bowl.
• Combine the sugar, honey, corn syrup and butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the mixture starts to boil. Once it has come to a light boil, cook the mixture for 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla and kosher salt. Add to the oat mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the marshmallows, if using.
• Scrape the mixture into your prepared pan and press firmly into an even layer. Place the pan in the fridge for about 1 hour to firm up.
• Carefully lift the granola bars out of the pan and slice into 12 equal bars. Wrap individually in parchment, wax paper or plastic wrap and place in a tightly sealed container.
• For a chewier bar, store in the fridge. For softer bars, store in the cupboard.

DARK CHOCOLATE GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl.
• Combine next 4 ingredients in another bowl; add to sugar ingredients.
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Press into 13x9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.
• Bake 18-20 minutes.
• Score surface with shallow cuts to make bars.
• Cool on wire rack then finish cutting into bars.

CHOCOLATE CHIP GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread oats onto an un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
• Mix oil, honey and vanilla in a large bowl.
• Add cooled oats, chocolate chips and nuts (if using) and mix well. (Note: If the oats are still warm at all, the chocolate chips will melt.).
• Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and mist with oil.
• Spread the mixture evenly onto the parchment.
• Lay a sheet of waxed paper over the mixture and press to compact. (I use the palms of my hands to start, and then I use the bottom of a drinking glass to make the surface as smooth as possible.).
• Remove the waxed paper and use a rubber spatula to press in any of the oats that may have "straggled" up the sides of the dish.
• Bake for 20 minutes.
• Cool completely and lift parchment from the dish.
• Cut into 16 bars.