Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

 Recipe From: Laura

Kiddo: [cue emergency voice] "Mom, We're outta granola bars again and I don't have anything for my lunch tomorrow! "...... ignoring the fruits and veggies in the fridge plus all the other snacks.  Oh my goodness, they are going to starve!  Lol 😁  Is it just my kids? Or can anyone relate to kids’ who could live on granola bars alone?

 

Me: Not in the mood to run to the store ….again... and it's only Tues . What ever happened to hiding the granola bars, Laura? By now I'm picturing a large black wooden box with a padlock on it, stock full of granola bars --you know the one.... looks just like the one mom had for hiding cheese and other goods. LOL  I get it now, maw!  Minus that hard, moldy cheese at the bottom😋😁!  Lol

Call to action for this catastrophic emergency….... ah Bing! The heavens open and a light appears. It's really that simple--just think outside the box. Just go peruse the net for a yummy granola bar recipe!  One and Done. Kids now have all the granola bars they’d eva' want.  😉 Next goal--teach them to make their own ! 😋  

I tweaked this recipe to my own liking by adding a lil peanut butter for flavor to the mixture & added a light layer of p. butter in the middle  (see instructions) OHH SOOO yummy! Makes for a delectable satisfying snack.  If a loved one is allergic or doesn’t care for peanut butter, you can leave it out for an ever-so-slight crisp granola bar. However, adding the peanut butter gave the granola bars a chewier texture than the first batch. We prefer chewy granola bars!  Also, feel free to add other ingredients.  I must add this…. the flax is a must since it helps bind the ingredients together so be sure it’s part of the crew.  If granola bars are left out for a couple days, they will start to crumble a little.  Just press crumbs back into the bars and let sit in fridge for a couple hours.  *SEE UPDATED TIPS BELOW*

INGREDIENTS

·       6 tablespoons unsalted butter

·       1/3 cup dark brown sugar

·       1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoons honey (save the 1 Tbsp for step 3)

·       1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·       Heaping 1/8 teaspoon salt

·       2 cups quick-cooking/instant oats, ie: Quaker Quick 1-Minute Oats (do not use regular old-fashioned oats)

·       1-3/4 cups Rice Krispies rice cereal

·       1/3 cup smooth peanut butter

·       1/2 cup sliced almonds

·       1/4 cup fresh ground flax seed or wheat germ (whole flax seed by itself is too crunchy)**

·       1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (regular choc. chips are too big)

**You can purchase ground flaxseed but it has lost its nutritional value sitting in the grocery store. Freshly ground flax is high in fiber and rich in omegas.  A coffee grinder to pulverize the flax seed is well worth the investment for your health sake!  Great way to get your daily dose of omegas--just add to smoothies and oatmeal.

 INSTRUCTIONS

 1.     Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Spray the foil lightly with nonstick cooking spray. No need to spray parchment.

 

2.     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 to 2 1/2- minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.

 

3.     Add the oats, rice cereal, peanut butter, almonds and flax meal (or wheat germ) and the 1 Tbsp honey  to the pan and fold with a rubber spatula and mix to combine.

 

4.     Transfer half of the oat mixture to the prepared pan and press down lightly with a rubber spatula to even out. Let this cool a couple minutes, cool enough that you can add a light layer of peanut butter (optional) & sprinkle half the choc. chips on the mixture without them melting. Pour the rest of the oat mixture on top of c. chips and press down. Sprinkle remaining miniature chocolate chips over top, adding more or less to suit your taste, and press down firmly with the spatula so the chips stick to granola—this is important—otherwise you’ll have c.chips falling off when you go to eat one. The mixture should be tightly compacted in the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 30 min-1hour to set up.

 

5.     Use the parchment or 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. 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.

 

6.     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.

 

7.     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 bar secrets***

 

When I first started making these granola bars, 50% of the time they would be somewhat crumbly.

Since my kids easily devour a pan a day,  I've easily made 'em about 100 times for school lunches.  I have learned tips and tricks for the bars to stay formed.   

·         Pan size matters. One batch does not quite stretch to make enuf for a 9x13 pan. If you do one 8x8, its too much.   The Goldilocks size is 11x7--just right!   If you make the granola bars as much as we do, that 11x7 pan is well worth it! Curbs the frustration of a diff. pan size cuz you will find you have too much or too little.

·         When pouring the mixture into the pan, its going to be hot.  Wait a minute but not too long. Warm enough to use your clean hands to press down quite firmly. Wait til its somewhat cool to add the peanut butter and choc. chip layer.  Choc. Chips will melt as you press them down which is okay. Helps if they are the mini choc. chips and FROZEN.   Add the second oat layer and press down firmly.  Refrigerate for a couple of hours.

·         Store in fridge and remove 30 min. prior to eating.  If you leave them out too long (4-5 hrs), they start to crumble, so press the crumbs back on the bar firmly and place them in the fridge for at least 30 min.

·         Again, Goldilocks done right.  Boil the sugar, honey, and butter mixture for at least 2-2/2 minutes. This is key.  Any shorter or longer doesn’t mold the bars quite right for them to stay together; I've done it both ways.

·         We double the recipe which cuts down on having to make them constantly.  

 

·         Pay attention to your oats! Must be quick-cooking oats.  With helping hands, they grab whole oats which are the wrong oats.  This will result in a crumbly bar.  Then mom gets to scoop out the wrong oats & add quick-cooking oats instead.