At my in-laws this weekend, we feasted on all sorts of treats, including these homemade granola bars. Since the Muller men seem to have all sorts of allergies, it’s a good idea to do homemade treats so that I know what goes into them. (Many granola bars have peanut flour, making them toxic for Derek…)
Homemade Granola Bars
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (I used unsalted cashews)
1 cup dried fruit (I used dried cherries)
1 cup sunflower seeds (I didn’t have these, so I substituted flaxseeds, my newest obsession for boosting our family’s omega-3 fatty acids intake.)
1 can sweetened, condensed milk
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
(1 cup shredded, dried coconut–the recipe didn’t call for this, but I love coconut and had it on hand, so I figured I’d just add some in!)
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Line a 10 x 15 inch baking pan with foil and grease the foil (I used Pam.). Spread mixture into pan. Bake at 325 for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool slightly, remove from pan, peel off foil, and cut into bars. (I used our pizza cutter.)
So granola bars are not health food, but hopefully they’ll still be a better choice for us this week when we get a chocolate chip cookie craving…and next time I’m going to experiment with adding in more healthy items!