Life is getting busy. On top of our daily tasks, we've got winter sports, dinner parties, birthday parties, vacations, and friends. Hectic schedules sometimes keep us from getting our health on. But lets not forget that it is important to take some time to care for ourselves. Sometimes we need a little granola to get our health on. Whether it's served up parfait style or in chewy bar form, granola is not just for the crunchers. A hearty homemade granola with lots of seeds, nuts, and dried fruit can be a great source of fibre, protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, which sounds pretty awesome to me.
Sometimes when life gets a little busy, tossing a box of commercial granola bars into your cart seems totally easy, and that's fair. But if I told you that it only takes 10 minutes to make a super delicious chewy treat packed with major health, would you still reach for that box?
Making homemade granola bars exercises the creativeness in me. Making is granola is a very personal experience. You can add any ingredient that pleases your palate. You'll need oats, which is a must, any type of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and a binder/sweetener/glaze. Something sticky like honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar to hold it together and add sweetness. All of your delicious ingredients will taste extra amazing once they've toasted in the oven for 20 minutes.
Once the granola has baked, it is ready to be mixed with some oil, honey, and nut butter. This will hold it all together creating the granola bar's shape. Such a wonderful snack for a busy and hectic week/month/life.
CHEWY CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT GRANOLA BAR RECIPE
makes 12 bars
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1 tbsp flax seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp cranberry juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup cherries, chopped
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup hazelnut butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1 ounce dark chocolate, melted
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, hazelnuts, flax seeds, coconut, and brown sugar.
In a small bowl, whisk the oil, honey, cranberry juice, and vanilla.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a wooden spoon.
Spread over a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring after 10.
Remove the granola from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Add the chopped cherries and stir.
In a small saucepan, heat the honey, hazelnut butter, and canola oil on medium heat until it reaches a boil.
Add the wet ingredients to the granola and stir. Place a piece of wax paper into a 8 or 9 inch baking pan and press flat with a spatula.
Heat one ounce of dark chocolate in a double boiler. Once it has melted, drizzle over the granola bars. Place in the fridge to let cool. Cut and serve. May be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
makes 12 bars
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1 tbsp flax seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp cranberry juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup cherries, chopped
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup hazelnut butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1 ounce dark chocolate, melted
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, hazelnuts, flax seeds, coconut, and brown sugar.
In a small bowl, whisk the oil, honey, cranberry juice, and vanilla.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a wooden spoon.
Spread over a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring after 10.
Remove the granola from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Add the chopped cherries and stir.
In a small saucepan, heat the honey, hazelnut butter, and canola oil on medium heat until it reaches a boil.
Add the wet ingredients to the granola and stir. Place a piece of wax paper into a 8 or 9 inch baking pan and press flat with a spatula.
Heat one ounce of dark chocolate in a double boiler. Once it has melted, drizzle over the granola bars. Place in the fridge to let cool. Cut and serve. May be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
