No-Bake Granola Bars
It's back-to-school time!
For a lot of families that means struggling to find time to make food that is healthy but also something your kids WILL eat.
This week, my goal is to bring you some nutritious recipes (well, maybe with the exception of one 😉) that both kids and adults will enjoy.
I love a good granola bar, so I thought that might be the perfect thing to kick off the week—simple to make and great for school lunches or after school snacks.
A while back I started testing recipes in search of a great one I could make and keep on hand...
I tried baked ones, different combos of ingredients, and in the end found this relatively simple one the best by far.
I’m using two kinds of nuts, some hemp seeds, oats, cranberries, and a little cinnamon.
Then I'm folding in peanut butter and honey to make a chewy bar that has some texture, but is still soft enough for my toddler.
It’s kind of amazing what mixing just a couple of ingredients can do...
And with NO BAKING!
I made mine in a 9 by 13-inch pan (you press the granola bar mixture into a dish to form them into bars), but after eating a pan's-worth this week, I would say that you might want to try them in something a little smaller. That will allow them to be so thicker and hold together even better.
Really though, no matter what shape you make, they will be your family's new favorite snack!
No-Bake Granola Bars
makes: 16 bars
Ingredients:
- 2 cups instant oats
- ½ cup finely chopped pine nuts
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
- ½ cup hemp hearts
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup honey
- ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter
Directions:
- Line a baking dish, no bigger than 11 by 17 inches or 8 by 8 inches, with parchment paper, leaving the paper hang out about 2 to 3 inches over two of the sides (which will allow you to easily lift the finished granola bars from the dish); spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, pine nuts, walnuts, hemp hearts, cranberries, cinnamon, and salt, then set aside.
- Add the honey and peanut butter to a small saucepan and cook them over medium heat until they are fully combined and just beginning to bubble—about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture and stir to coat the dry ingredients evenly and fully.
- Firmly press the oat mixture evenly into the pan to ensure the granola bars stay together well; spraying your hands with cooking spray is helpful to prevent the mixture from sticking to them. Chill for at least two hours before cutting.
- Remove the granola bars from the pan using the edges of the parchment paper. Cut them into your desired size and enjoy! To store, place in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
