Granola bars

I got this recipe from smitten kitchen and just adapted it a bit to what I like and had on hand.  I like that this recipe doesn't include any butter or corn syrup just good ol' honey.  The big thing I forgot to do was line the pan with parchment paper so I ended up with only a few bars and a bag of what looks like granola.  Nonetheless they are super delicious, so much better tasting then the store bought ones.  Also, if you buy some of the items in bulk really they are not very expensive to make, it really just depends on the nuts you choose to use. 


Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup nuts - sliced/chopped - you can whatever kind of nuts you want. I used a mixed variety.
1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed (I could only find sweetened but it still turned out well)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed - the original recipe called for wheatgerm but I could not find that to save my life - not even at Trader Joe's
2/3 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt - If you accidentally bought salted nuts like I did leave the salt out.
1 1/2 cup dried fruit - any mix you like works
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

I bought a mixed bag of craisins, chocolate chips, and a variety of nuts just cause it was on sale for cheap. Then just seperated it by hands and chopped the nuts up some more.

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter an 8×12-inch baking dish (lacking this, I used a 9×13-inch) and line it with parchment paper. - this is very important

2. Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the flaxseed.

3. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.

4. While the mixture is still warm, stir in the honey, vanilla and salt until the mixture is well coated, then the dried fruit. Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish and press, press, press it in - wet hands work best

5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares — your best serrated knife is great for this.

6. You can store these in an airtight container at room temperature for a week or two,or in the fridge since they get softer at room temp.  It all depends on what you like.