Healthy & Chewy Granola Bars

Well as many of you know I have an addiction to granola. Whether it's store-bought or homemade I can't get enough of the stuff. I eat parfait practically everyday, and on the days I don't, I still find my hand reaching into the cupboard for a handful of granola. Some mornings I have a bowl of oatmeal, but it's just not the same.

The other day I was really needing a granola fix and decided to make some chocolate-orange granola. Yum. I'll have to make it again soon and share the recipe with you guys.

I decided to make some granola bars for a change. I wanted healthy bars packed with yummy dried fruits and nuts and seeds and flavour.

Time to hit up Bulk Barn! Don't you just love that store? I love browsing the aisles there, they just have everything you could think of! Not to mention an amazing variety of dried fruits, nuts and seeds. Oh, and they also have quite the assortment of granola. I forced myself to steer clear of that aisle.

It took some intense decision making but I settled on dried dates, golden raisins, sunflower seeds and almonds. These granola bars turned out very chewy and full of these add-ins. They are a great snack and give you an energy boost. These are also highly customizable so you can throw in whatever you feel like, or whatever you've got in the cupboard. Try out a variety of fruits and nuts! I know I will :)

These satisfy my cravings throughout the day but it remains a challenge to just eat one and not go back for more.

Healthy & Chewy Granola Bars

Makes 15-20 bars

Ingredients:

3 cups oats

2 cups puffed rice cereal

1/2 cup dried, pitted dates, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup apple juice

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp butter or nut butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350F

Grease or line an 8 or 9 inch baking dish with parchment paper.

In a large bowl add the oats, puffed rice cereal, almonds, sunflower seeds, dates and raisins and mix together.

Melt the butter (or nut butter) in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in the apple juice, honey, cinnamon and brown sugar and stir together so that everything melts and combines.

Take it off the heat and pour it over the dry mixture. Stir the mixture until everything is evenly coated.

Press the granola mixture into the greased or lined baking dish using the back of a spoon or your hands.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until it starts to brown around the edges and crisp. After it has cooled cut into bars and store in an air-tight container.

Makes about 15-20 granola bars.