Homemade Granola Bars #minimalistbaker

I have been looking for a simple, filling, and tasty granola bar recipe and think I found just that by the blog Minimalist Baker! If you have not checked out Dana and her work, you have got to go check out this blog. I have been trying to make homemade granola bars for awhile and just have not found a good balance of peanut butter to oatmeal, they don't have the right taste, and often they just do not stick together, no matter how much peanut butter I add. However, I finally discovered the difference maker, and a total game-changer in the granola bar making game: dates! They make all the difference in making granola bars, and finally I found an extremely simple, delicious, and easy-to-adapt recipe to enjoy! A recipe you can try too if you have been looking for one yourself.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dates

• 1/4 cup peanut butter (or almond or cashew butter if you prefer)

• 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup if you prefer)

• 1 1/2 cup oats (I used old fashioned rolled oats)

• 1 cup almonds (I used almonds already slivered, but whole are just fine too!)

• Literally anything else! I did not add any other ingredients, but dried fruit, chocolate chips, drizzled chocolate over the top, or seeds or nuts would make excellent additions!

Equipment:

• 8x8 pan

• parchment paper

• mixing bowl & spoon

• small pan to melt peanut butter & honey in on the stove

• 9x12 or other size pan to roast oats and almonds on in the oven.

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350º and spread your 1 1/2 cup oats and 1 cup of almonds on your toasting pan evenly.

2. Place the pan of oats and almonds in the oven for 10 -15 minutes or until the contents are slightly golden brown in color. This will give your granola bars a toasty & delicious flavor.

3. While your oats & almonds are toasting in the oven for 15 minutes, put your 1 cup of dates in a food processor (I used my ninja smoothie maker) and pulse them until it forms a dough-like consistency, getting sticky. Mine took about 5 pulses until they were into small bits and sticking to the sides of the blender and blade in a big clump.

4. Put the toasted oats and almonds, as well as your date clump, in your mixing bowl to be combined with your other ingredients later on in the recipe.

5. Warm your 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup) and 1/4 cup peanut butter in a small saucepan on your stove on low heat to combine and liquify them for better mixing.

6. Once the honey & peanut butter mixture is melted into a liquid consistency (thin enough to pour) add it to the oats/almonds/dates mixing bowl and combine, breaking up the dates and ensuring all ingredients are equally combined.

7. Now line your 8x8 pan with parchment paper to place your bars in! I like to fold mine for a bit more of a cleaner fit, and then cut out the corners to prevent crinkling. I am also very particular, so doing this step with precision is not necessary, ha! Lining the pan is necessary though, to help you lift the bars out of the pan. You can also substitute plastic wrap for parchment paper if you prefer, parchment paper is just my personal preference.

8. Once the mixture is equally combined, and your pan is lined, transfer the mixture to the 8×8-inch pan and disperse it equally in the pan.

9. Place a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap over the top of the bars and press them firmly with a bowl or cup until they are packed together, making them less likely to fall apart on you when cutting them.

10. Place pan in the freezer for 15 - 20 minutes to let the bars firm up to cut.

11. After 20 minutes, take the bars out of the freezer, and lift them out of the pan by your parchment paper handles. I then cut them into 16 pieces, but you can cut them to size to however you prefer.

12. Store in your fridge or freezer to enjoy until they're gone!

This recipe is clean, tasty, and was very impressive! So simple, yet so delicious. I would recommend granola bar fans to ditch the preservatives, additives, and processing, and go for a safer option: from scratch, by making these bars. Healthy options do not need to come with a big price tag! These granola bars are cheap to make, and are a cleaner option than many granola bars you buy in stores! I was so impressed with the results, and know this will be an easy recipe to adapt to make different kinds of granola bars to switch things up when desired.

I hope you enjoy these granola bars, and thank you to Minimalist Baker for sharing this recipe! Go check out her blog, and give this recipe a try! Let me know how you like them; here's to better and more mindful choices & caring for our bodies, starting with what we fuel them with!

you are blessed. you are gifted. you are loved and appreciated, just as you are.

mindfully, molli