Granola Bar Recipe

Yummy Granola Bars

So I'm strolling down the cereal isle and I feel the need to look at the ingredients in some of my favorite cereals. Not only is this depressing but it drives my husband crazy. Some cereals contain so many ingredients that I can't even count all of them, let alone pronounce. Through my pregnancy I could go through a couple bowls of cereal at any given time. I tried to make sure that they were either organic or somewhat good for me but it was hard. Every now and then I found my self reaching for the Reese Puffs and not being able to resist. But since I'm 36 weeks pregnant, I'm trying to get back to my healthy self that I once knew. Since I'm pretty tired these days and my husband works all the time, I wanted to make something that we could grab that was healthy, and yummy at the same time. I love granola and I figured making some granola bars would be the easiest to accomplish. I looked online at several different recipes and found one that Barefoot Contessa made (she's one of my favorites). I changed it up a little but I hope you guys try these and let me know what you think. 

Yummy Granola Bar Recipe:

2 C. Organic Rolled Oats

1 C. Organic Dried Coconut (not the sweetened kind)

1 C. Organic Wheat Germ

1 1/2 C. Almonds

1 C. Organic Sunflower seeds

1 C. Organic Dried Prunes

2 C. Dried Cranberries

3/4 C. Organic Agave

1 tsp. Salt

2 Tbsp. Butter

2 tsp. Vanilla

2 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 C. Brown Sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the oats, coconut, and sliced almonds (I used raw, whole almonds, and blended them up in my food processor).  If your sunflower seeds are already roasted than you don't have to put them in the oven but if they are raw, then go ahead and put them in with the oats, coconut, and almonds. Let those bake for 10-12 minutes, tossing them halfway through. 

As the oats, coconut, and almonds bake start making your syrup. Place your agave, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and brown sugar into a sauce pan and let it come to a boil. Turn off heat once it starts to boil and set to the side (make sure it doesn't boil over, not fun). 

Throw your cranberries and prunes into the food processor and blend up for about 5-10 seconds. Throw all the ingredients together in a big bowl now and stir until everything is combined. 

Change the temperature to 300 on your oven. Have a baking pan out lined with parchment paper ( I used wax paper and it stuck a little). Spread your granola mixture onto your baking pan and pat down, making sure to get the granola to the edges. Bake for 30 minutes and let cool completely (around 4 hrs). 

Hope you enjoy!