Foodie Blogroll

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Chewy Granola Bars - Make them your way!

Granola bars are an easy snack and my husband likes to grab one for his drive to work in the morning. It is easy enough to pick up some pre-made granola bars of many flavors and finishes. The nice thing about making your own is...again like I said on making your own granola you can control what goes into them. I use as much organic products as I can...organic sugar, raw local organic sugar, my own homemade vanilla, the oats and spices are as well. I actually like my grandma's granola over any store bought and have not purchased pre-made granola in quite some time now.



As for granola bars I like them chewy rather than hard and crunchy, but I like to toast the ingredients first...







...and that is the only time they will be in the oven. Toast in a med hot oven around 325 degrees F until lightly golden be careful not to burn it. The nuts were done separately...just because it worked better that way.

This is the first recipe that I tried:

adapted from - Joyful Abode

•2 cups oats
•3/4 cup wheat germ
•3/4 cup sunflower seeds
•1/4 cup sliced almonds
•1 cup puffed rice
•2/3 cup brown sugar
•1/2 cup honey
•4 tablespoons butter
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1/2 teaspoon sea salt
•4 oz dried cranberries




Toast the dry ingredients except sugar and dried fruit. After toasted place in a large bowl, add the dried fruit. I didn't add too much fruit because my daughter doesn't like most dried fruits...so I really skimped on it in this batch.



In a sauce pan heat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar and bring to a simmer...and the brown sugar is dissolved...






Be sure to stir constantly...



...you don't want to get it too thick...you want nice chewy bars.

Meanwhile, prepare a glass baking dish for your granola by lining it with waxed paper lightly sprayed with a nonstick spray. I used a 9x9 and the bars were a little thicker, use the size that will make the bars the size you want.






Mix everything really well... add the fruit at this time, this is what holds the bars together.





Press the mix into the prepared pan




Fold the wax paper over the top and keep pressing...push down good, they held together really good. Let the bars cool before cutting them.








I let them rest all night because I made them late at night, and that was a mistake. The paper stuck some to the bottom and I had to painstakingly peel it off. These came out pretty large.








I wrapped them individually so he could take them with him. They turned out pretty good, but they were too sweet for me. It was good to make them without the high fructose corn syrup, and were pretty much all organic though.


I made another batch and changed it up bit so it wouldn't be as sweet for me... and they were chai spice flavored!!





I added some:

Michigan dried cherries
coconut
pumpkin seeds
sesame seeds
chopped almonds along with the sunflower seeds
chai spice
I used barely a half cup brown sugar (didn't pack it) used less butter and add a little coconut oil to make up for it you could use canola or any oil you like.

I will add the chai spice mix recipe on an up and coming post soon!




It didn't hold together quite as well as the first ones, but I liked it a lot better!!







all you have to do is just be careful when you cut them...








What would you add to granola bars? Chocolate?


This has been add to:

Sweet as Sugar Cookies'
Sweets for a Saturday link-up!

Bizzy B. Bakes, Bake with Bizzy




Over the Fourth of July weekend we went out to a friends house that had a new born horse or I should say colt...








...she was just 4 days old, and full of personality...a real spite-fire!


her mane was unbelievably soft, and she was so curious about everything! So cute!








We have had some beautiful sunsets with the afternoon clouds that come in.







...it make for a very pleasant evening, with a nice cool breeze...






...and no hot dogs for us thank you very much (not a hot dog fan here)...we had the best pork BBQ on a hot dog bun! Yum!

21 comments:

  1. That little colt is adorable! I would totally want to take it home :) The granola looks great too!

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  2. Your granola bars sound so tasty and healthy with all the good stuff in there. I will have to try making them one of these days. Such lovely pictures of the sunset!

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  3. Lyndsey, I would like to make some granola bars too with lots of nuts!

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  4. I've made granola, but never granola bars. I'll have to these. The baby horse is too cute.

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  5. So this is how you make homemade granola bars. I saw several posts of homemade granola bars, but I have never seen step-by-step pictures so this is the first time I actually "learned"!! Great post! You live such a wonderful place...sunset at the beach is precious scenery!

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  6. Dried cherries always make everything better. These look great.

    I'm so pleased you had a good Independence Day. We had pulled pork over the weekend too - I used the Pioneer Woman's recipe.

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  7. I love chewy granola bars..and I would love one after yoga ;-))
    Beautiful sunset shots!
    Angie

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  8. Your granola bars sound wonderful. I've never made them, but with such a nice recipe available to me I no longer have an excuse not to give them a try. I'm so glad to hear that you had a good holiday. I hope you have a great day as well. Blessings...Mary

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  9. Great pictures a perfct day. Love this kind of recipe that you can add or substitute whatever you happen to have.
    Rita

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  10. Lyndsey love these granola bars look amazing! gloria

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  11. Yum :) I love homemade granola bars, I'm also a fan of granola cereal. OMG I've tried variations I've made in the past with extra-virgin coconut oil they come out really good like that too, of course butter is just as delicious :)

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  12. Hey Lyndsey - thanks for visiting our blog! We've always wanted to try homemade granola bars but just never seem to get around to it. Looks like a great recipe!

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  13. wow, they look superb and sounds so simple too :)

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  14. Lindsey-Your homemade granola bars are the best so far, that I have seen. I would add chocolate chips to one batch, and do the same batch just with the dried fruit like you have it...Yumm!
    Such a cute little colt, and lovely sunset photos.
    Looks like you had a wonderful 4th, with good food and great friends:D
    I'm adding your blog to my blogroll so I can easily click on there to see your latest post!
    xo

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  15. Nutmeg Nanny - Thanks, that colt was adorable, we need to go out to see it again.

    Biren - it's so nice you can put in them what you like! Thanks!

    Ann - Lots more nuts would be good!

    Bo - I know you will! and they'll be great!

    Nami - That is so nice of you to say. Sometimes I think I put in too many pictures.

    Pru - You are right I love dried cherries in many things where I don't like other dried fruits!

    Angie - thanks, you could even add protein powder to your granola bars for after yoga!

    Mary - they were pretty easy to make and it's so nice you can add what you like.

    Rita - It was so nice...now we have tons of rain. You are right I love that you can add what you like!

    Gloria - Thanks so much!

    Nathan - Thanks for the comment. I have been making my grandma's recipe for granola for years now. I won't eat store bought. I love the varieties that you can make.

    Chef Fresco - Thanks for visiting back. Now you have to make some it's really easy!

    Priya - You need to try it now!

    Elisabeth - That is so nice of you to say. I am so glad you enjoy coming here as much as I like visiting your blog!

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  16. great granola bars and nice to nibble on for hubby your daughter is a pretty young lady now and keep the beach pics coming

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  17. I've always wanted to make granola bars but haven't found a good recipe. Chewy is perfect, that's just how I like them. I love the add-ins too - dried cherries, coconut, etc. I'll have to try these, they look really good and as you said, you know what's in them. Thanks Lyndsey!

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  18. Those granola looks fantastic. Bookmarked it to try out one of these days. Ooo... you put up the pictures. Yeah, the pony looks really adorable. Maranda must have enjoyed playing with it. Have a great day.
    Kristy
    p/s will write soon.

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  19. They look great, love the warm sauce picture. I love M&Ms in a granola bar.

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  20. I am not sure which to admire first, the cold, the photos or the granola bars. I would love to have a beautiful sunset here and I could eat those granola bars up and I would love to have a chat with the colt, sweet thing.

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  21. I am back to tell you we have granola bars featured and I thought you might like to visit them and BRING MORE FOOD.

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