Grab ‘n Go Granola Bars

I never ate granola bars growing up but I really enjoy them now… as long as they aren’t packed with ingredients that I can’t pronounce. My mom found this simple recipe, made these for me, and I was hooked! What a lovely snack for a packed lunch or just when you have the nibbles. I can just see me eating these during my 2am feed when baby arrives. I hear that breastfeeding makes you very hungry?

Ensley and I have discovered that taking great food photos is tough when you both live in apartments. Have you noticed that the kitchens in apartments almost NEVER have windows? My black countertops also just don’t vibe with the look we want for Rebelle Kitchen. Light and bright! Some people, on the other hand, (not mentioning any names Elise and Hope) can take the most amazing photos on their marble countertops in their beautiful white kitchens with incredible natural lighting. One day! For now, we are embracing the motto, “Fake it till you make it.” So, this photo below shows our faux marble countertops : a laminate piece from Home Depot that we cut and stuck on an art canvas. Oh the thing’s you’ll do for a good photo.

Behind the scenes 😉

Voilà!

Now we can literally put anything on our “countertops” and it will look great! The nursery in our apartment has the best light, so I’m just going to have to move the changing mat every time I need a good photo, lol.

Before I ramble on about baby instead of giving you the recipe, here it is…enjoy!

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Grab 'n Go Granola Bars

Course Snack

Cuisine Vegan

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 20 squares

Author A Spicy Perspective/Whole Foods

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole oats or 3 1/4 cups oats + 3/4 cup oat bran
• 3/4 cup raw almonds whole or sliced
• 3/4 cup raw cashews chopped
• 1/2 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup brown sugar or substitute coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup brown rice syrup
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

• Pour 1 1/2 cups oats in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground.
• Place the ground and remaining whole oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, and dried fruit in a large bowl. Mix well. Line a large 13X18 inch rimmed baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
• Place the brown sugar, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, and coconut oil in a sauce pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, stir well, then remove from heat immediately. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Then pour the mixture over the dry ingredients.
• Mix well, so that all the dry ingredients are coated, then scoop the mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread the mixture out evenly. Use another sheet of wax paper to press down on the mixture until flat and packed. Refrigerate for 2 hours to set, then cut into squares. Wrap well, and store in the refrigerator, or in a cool dark place for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Option to bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown before refrigerating.

I couldn’t find brown rice syrup at Harris Teeter when I was buying the ingredients and so I just used maple syrup but they were a little crumbly. I hear Whole Foods has it (duh!?). The brown rice syrup apparently binds all the ingredients better than anything so don’t substitute like I did or you’ll have a big mess to clean up!

What are your favorite snacks? Tell us in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you!