Granola Bars

Homemade Granola Bars

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Granola bars make for a delicious snack. They are filled with oats, dried fruits, sometimes chocolate and they are packed with nutrients.

Unfortunately, most kinds you would buy in the store are also filled with a laundry list of ingredients that I’ve never heard of and can’t pronounce.

When I started a 30-day clean eating challenge, I started making my own granola bars. I used this recipe as a jumping off point (mainly the idea of the banana with almond milk base) and went from there to create my own yummy combinations.

It’s nearly impossible (or was for me) to find any dried fruit that does not have added sugar. I was hoping to find dried apples, blueberries, cranberries and mango that I could add to my granola bars, but everything I found listed sugar as an extra ingredient.

Not very clean. So my version includes raisins, dates, nuts and chocolate chips (a milk, soy and nut-free variety). They’re tasty, filling and a great snack to eat on the go!

Ingredients:

  • 1 overripe banana, mashed
  • ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1 ½ cups oats (1 or 5 minute both work fine)
  • 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 packets of Stevia
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ cup raisins
  • 15-20 pitted dates, chopped
  • ¼ – 1/3 cup almonds, chopped
  • chocolate chips (sprinkled over the top – optional)

Directions:

Combine the almond milk and mashed banana over medium heat on the stove top. Mix well to combine.

Add the peanut butter, honey, Stevia, vanilla and cinnamon and mix well. Turn the heat to low and let it heat through while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Combine the oats, raisins, dates and almonds in a mixing bowl. 

Add the warm banana mixture and mix well.

Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spread the granola bar mixture in the pan. I’ve found it’s easiest to use a metal spoon to do this. I like my granola bars thicker, so I didn’t spread the mixture over the entire pan. If you want thinner bars, you certainly can.

Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle the granola bars with chocolate chips (optional).

Let the bars cool in the freezer for several hours.

Cut the bars into pieces and wrap individually. Store in the fridge or for best results, in the freezer. I like to keep them in the freezer and eat one after letting them rest on the counter for a few minutes to take the chill off. Do not store these on the counter top due to the lack of preservatives and the banana.

Bon Appetit!

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