Here's a perfect anytime snack, possible breakfast & even healthy dessert. See how simple and customizable homemade granola bars can be. With 5 minutes of work and 10 minutes of freezing time, you've got a sweet, filling treat that's a fraction of the price of store bought granola bars and made just the way you like 'em. I encourage you to have fun with the ingredients, you can even experiment in dividing the batch with different toppings in each. Have these bars in your arsenal and you're ready to take on the world, or at least snack time.
What you need:
1/2 C Peanut Butter (or any nut/seed butter you like)
1/2 C Maple Syrup (or agave, rice syrup)
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1.5 C Rice Cereal (ie. Rice Krispies)
2 C Rolled Oats (or oats of choice)
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
3 Tbl of Super Seeds (I like Trader Joe's super seed package, but any seeds you like will work: chia, flax, quinoa, millet, teff, etc.)
1/4 C Sunflower Seeds
1/4 C Craisins, Raisins, or any chopped dried fruit of choice
1/4 C Dark Chocolate Chips (many dark chocolate chips are vegan as cocoa butter is dairy free!)
What you do:
Set the nut butter & maple syrup in a small pot over medium heat. While this starts to warm and achieve a low boil, combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl - except for the chocolate chips.
After you've measured out the oats/seeds/fruit mixture in the bowl, your pot of sweet nut butter should be boiling. Give it a mix and add in the vanilla extract.
Combine sweet nut butter with the oats/seeds/fruit mixture, scraping the pot clean. Finally, add in the chocolate chips (had you added them in any sooner, the hot nut butter would have melted them).
Transfer to a parchment-lined baking dish and flatten using the bottom of a dish/measuring cup. Pop in the freezer for 10-12 minutes.
Remove from the freezer and slice as you wish. Wrap them all cutesy like this or how we usually do it in saran wrap or tin foil.
Keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, or frozen for 4-6 months. Enjoy!