Nut Free Chewy Granola Bars Food

NUT FREE GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180c and line a dish with parchment paper. I used an 8x8 inch dish.
• Add the honey and butter to a jug and microwave gently until the ingredients have melted. You can also do this in a pan on the hob. Add the sugar and water and mix until all dissolved.
• Add the oats, rice krispies, flour, dried fruit, seeds and coconut to a large bowl and mix. Pour in the the melted butter mixture and mix. Finally stir in the chocolate chips.
• Transfer this mixture into the prepared dish. Take another piece of parchment paper and use that to push down firmly on the mixture. You need to make it as compact as possible in the dish.
• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, leave to cool and then put it in the fridge or freezer for 1 hour. These steps are essential to stop the bars from falling apart.
• Remove from the fridge and lift the parchment paper out of the dish and cut into small bars.
• Keep in the fridge or freezer.

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!

NUT-FREE GRANOLA BARS (VEGAN AND GLUTEN-FREE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a square baking dish with parchment paper cut to fit and lay both directions. My baking dish is is a little smaller than 8x8, more like 7 1/2, so if yours is a true 8x8, the bars just will be a bit thinner on the edges.
• In a small bowl, mix the flaxseed and 6 tablespoons of water and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk well and set aside.
• To a food processor, add the sunflower kernels and process about 30-45 seconds until a fine flour forms (as in the photo). Be careful not to over process or it will start to turn into a paste.
• To a large bowl, add all of the sunflower flour to it, along with the oats, oat flour, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir really well. Add the chocolate chips.
• To the bowl of reserved flaxseed mixture, it should be thick, whisk in the syrup well. Make sure it is no longer warm before adding to the dry ingredients (so it doesn't melt the chocolate chips). Stir everything together for a good minute or so until it all comes together in a moist, sticky batter. The more you stir, the stickier it will get. This is good, as that flaxseed helps to bind the bars.
• To the lined pan, add the batter and spread out evenly with the back of the spoon as best you can. Now, take a square piece of parchment paper the size of the pan and place it on top. Press the mixture down flat and smooth out the top. Smooth your fingers along the edges and corners, making sure it's even. Really BE PATIENT with this step ensuring you are properly spreading it out to the corners and along the edges. Do not sloppily or quickly press it down or the bars will not form properly when baking.
• Once it's smooth, flat and even, top with extra chocolate chips if desired. Bake for 30-32 minutes until the edges are looking golden brown and the middle is firm to the touch. Refer to photo.
• Cool 1 hour. This is where they will firm up. Do NOT cut them before this unless you want crumbles! After an hour, lift them up with the parchment paper and cut desired shapes with a really sharp knife slowly. The crunchy edges may crack a bit but the bars should be firm and hold beautifully. They stay firm and moist for several days too. Keep stored in a sealed container or ziplock bag.

HEALTHY NUT-FREE GRANOLA BARS (NO-BAKE)

Steps:

• Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor, process dates and honey until they form a paste.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, cranberries, pumpkin seeds and coconut.
• Add date mixture to oat mixture and mix, using your hands, until well combined. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and firmly press into an even layer.
• Chill in freezer for about 20 minutes until firm. Remove from freezer and lift granola mixture out of pan using overhang on sides. Cut into bars and serve.

CHEWY, PEANUT-FREE, GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients (barley flakes, rolled outs, crisped rice, wheat germ, flour, almonds, flax meal, and coconut flakes.
• At a low heat, slowly melt the sugar on the stove in a sauce pan, stirring regularly (you can substitute additional honey and molasses for this, if it's too much work, but I couldn't get the "stickiness" I wanted without melting the sugar. Once the sugar s melted through, immediately add the melted butter followed by the honey, agave nectar, and molasses. Stir in the sunflower butter, vanilla extract, and liquid lecithin. Once your wet ingredients are well combined, pour them into the dry ingredients.
• Mix together with a wooden spoon until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Finally, add the chocolate chips.
• Spread into 2 greased 8x11 pans. Use a glass to smooth out the mixture making it uniform in thickness. Feel free to add additional chocolate chips at this time if they don't seem to be evenly dispersed. I just sprinkle them where I want them and then roll them into the mixture with the glass.
• Cook at 350 degrees for 20 minute.
• For best results, let cool in the greased pans for 12-24 hours before cutting. Cut them into bar form and they are ready to eat!

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.