I've searched for awhile now for a homemade granola bar recipe that suited my fancy. I've found some with agave nectar (and while I like it, it's quite expensive so we're using it sparingly!), and some that used honey as the main sweetener but that included rice krispies cereal (which contains BHT, something we're trying to steer clear of in the Sensory Smart home), and so tonight, after looking at a few more recipes I threw up my hands and made my own! They turned out well and are setting up right now. I cut one out for a bedtime snack for the children, chopped it into small pieces & threw it in the freezer and the small pieces set up nice and chewy but not hard, just like a granola bar is supposed to be! So I *think* when the bars set up they'll be a hit!
Here's the concoction if you want to give them a go!
4 1/2 cups homemade granola (I used the P.B. option on the 2nd granola recipe from the linked post)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup peanut butter (truly I just used a big spoonful, I'm guessing between 1/4 and 1/3 cup)
1 to 1 1/2 cup "extras" (mini chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, dates, cranberries, etc)
In a small saucepan combine butter, honey, brown sugar, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for about a minute, then pour over the granola mixture. Add the "extras."
Pour the mixture into an 8x12 pan that is sprayed with olive oil cooking spray (or greased with butter). Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 300 degrees, until light golden brown. Cool for 2-3 hours (I'm guessing!?) before cutting into squares. Store in airtight container.
Okay, here's the colossal mistake I made...I decided to win mom of the year by allowing the children to put some mini chocolate chips in our bars (OKAY, I was craving a little chocolate too!..we're doing great at keeping our sweets sparing around here!). If I was a planner I'd remember to get carob chips to try, but, alas, I am not. Without thinking I threw the chocolate chips in with the granola...what do you think happened when I poured that boiling hot mixture on them? Yep, melt city. So our bars are "chocolately" coated and more like a dessert bar. However, it makes me feel good to know that the granola ingredients are good for us, the honey is a natural sweetener with only a touch of brown sugar, and the peanut butter is a natural protein booster. So, next time I'll be sure to hold the chocolate chips until after the melted sauce is on the granola. Or even wait and sprinkle them on top, lightly pressing them in, after the mixture is patted into the pan.
Also, without the peanut butter the honey and butter would have made plenty enough "sauce" to make the bars stick. So if you aren't into peanut butter or want some plain, leave it out! Easy peasy. Do please note the size of pan I used. The bars would have been very thin if I'd used a 9x13 pan...so if you do that up everything just a little.
Remember, I'm no world class chef. This recipe is a combination of about 7-8 different recipes that I looked at. If you don't like it, well, forge a path and try one of your own (& share it with us!). If you do make them I'd love to know what you think!!
No comments:
Post a Comment