Homemade Chocolate Granola Bars–super easy and delish!

I’m back, sorry.  Super busy here at the homestead but I do have a little something to share.  Now I made these a few weeks ago and they were just delicious.  I gave a few to a friend down the street and she said these were the best she’s ever had, so there you go!

I love granola bars but know that deep down they ask like they are good for you but really they aren’t.  I decided to make my own.  I tried to cut the sugar and oil and keep them yummy.

Recipe:

• 2 cups oats
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place oats, almonds and coconut on ungreased sheet pan and bake until golden brown.  About 10 minutes.  Set aside in large mixing bowl.
3. In medium sauce pan, melt butter and mix in honey, sugar, vanilla and salt.  When sugar is dissolved, pour over oats mix.
4. Once all coated add the chocolate chips.  Don’t freak out when they melt, that’s the trick!
5. Pour the mixture onto a sheet pan that’s been covered in foil and sprayed with cooking spray.  Makes it very tricky to get out if you don’t.  Press down to get it flat.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Remove and let cool before cutting.
7. Keep in air tight container for up to two weeks.  In my opinion they get better with age :)
8. Enjoy!

So there you have it, super easy and super tasty.  I may have eaten them all because I used really dark chocolate and the girls prefer milk chocolate.  It might have been intentionally, hehe.  Also, each slice was less than 100 calories :)

I have some cookies and cakes to share but want to make sure the intended see them first.  Have a great weekend!

Thanks for looking!

Homemade Roasted Almond Granola

So another thing I’ve noticed that is different in the States than Canada is oatmeal.  I mean it tastes funny, at least to me.  I’ve also noticed that getting good granola is hard to find too.  I love granola but never thought to make it until this week while I was watching The Barefoot Contessa.  Yup, Ina, my guru.  She was doing a brunch show and she made granola.  I thought, well why the hell not.

It’s so easy and so tasty but so not low cal.  I’m going to have to figure out a way to make this less high calorie but for now, I give you roasted almond granola.

Recipe: As adapted by The Barefoot Contessa

• 2 cups dry oats
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1 cup roasted almonds
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Chop almonds to at least 1/4 almond size.
3. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. 
4. Put on baking sheet and spread out.
5. Bake for 10 minutes until it starts to brown.  Toss and return to oven.
6. Repeat until it’s all toasted brown.
7. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
8. Store in air tight container.  Should be good for a week or two, depends on how much you eat.

I mixed mine with yogurt and topped with some pomegranate that we bought today at the store.  It was delish.  I may never buy store bought again.

You could add dried fruit, different fruits etc.  Make it your own and enjoy it!

Thanks for looking!