Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

The very best thing about making your own food is knowing exactly what goes in it. You have the option to use pure, from-the-earth ingredients that have countless health benefits. Granola bars are one of my favorite snacks because they are very filling and you can just grab them and go. Many grocery store granola bars, however, have added sugars and fillers that you shouldn’t be putting in your body.

I took on the challenge of coming up with my own granola bar recipe with all of my favorite whole-food ingredients. I had several failed attempts- some were too crumbly, or too sticky, or just not sweet enough. This recipe, though, finally accomplished my goal of creating a granola bar with the perfect taste and consistency: chewy but not too sticky and sweet with a hint of saltiness.

All of the nuts and seeds in these bars provide the perfect amount of protein, nutrients, and healthy fats to help you feel full and energized until your next meal. The oils and fats from the almond and seed butter are great for your skin, hair, and nails, while the vitamins and minerals nourish your heart and brain.

What you’ll need:

• 1  1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup puffed rice
• 1 cup chopped almonds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup crushed walnuts
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 tbsp flaxseed
• 1 tbsp pepitas
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of sea salt
• 1  1/2 cup almond butter
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup seed butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• vegan chocolate chips (optional)

What to do:

1. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. 
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir the wet ingredients until smooth. Don’t let it burn on!
3. Add the wet to the dry and mix until thoroughly combined.
4. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread out the granola mixture.
5. Add vegan chocolate chips if you wish, I just did half of my granola bars. 
6. Place tray in the freezer for a few hours or overnight, then slice into bars and enjoy! Store remaining bars in the freezer to keep them firm. 

We hope you enjoy this scrumptious snack! If you make these bars leave us a comment or tag us in a picture on social media (@twowildtides). We love hearing from you!

xoxo,

char&linds