Peanut and Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

I brought granola bars to the Relay for Life event this year and they would have been perfect except I forgot to get them out of the camper for everyone, so no one knew they were even there.  Oh well more for me I guess.

 

I used my favorite granola bar recipe I found here, and used mini 3/4 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup peanuts, and 1/4 cup coconut.  The coconut I threw in on a whim and they were delicious but I think I'll add more peanuts next time and just omit the coconut.  I think I could use this granola bar recipe and make various kinds every week and eat one every day and never get tired of them.  They are so yummy!

Another Granola Bar Version

I LOVE homemade granola bars.

Ok I LOVE homemade granola bars using this recipe.  I posted about my first few attempts here, and I'm still making them almost weekly.  I seriously can't stop eating them.  They are my breakfast, snack, and dessert.  The best part is I don't feel guilty eating them.  I figure with all the dried fruit, nuts, and oats I could find worse things to indulge in.

 

I've tried a bunch of different variations of this granola bar and haven't had a failure yet.  Here are a few other variations I have made

- Apple, cinnamon, pecan 

- Blueberry, apricot, almond, cinnamon

- Cranberry, blueberry, almond, cinnamon, and coconut (pictured above)

 

I hadn't tried coconut in any other of the recipes I've made but I had seen other recipes that used it so I thought I'd give it a try.  I'm not a big fan of anything coconut flavor but this just added a little sweetness to the bars and I will probably add it into any other ones I make until I run out.

 

My husband has been taking all my variations to work and he says all the guys love them as well.  In my opinion anything healthy you can get a bunch of guys to love, has to be a true winner of a recipe.



The Tastiest Granola Bars EVER!

I have been on the hunt for an amazing granola bar recipe for a couple years now.  I've tried a few and they have either fallen apart, lacked flavor, required a dozen ingredients I don't have in my pantry, or have been rock hard after baking.   I thought I would never find the perfect recipe but I am here to tell ya I have!Many recipes I've found require you to bake the dry ingredients and/or simmer the wet ingredients but not this one.  You just throw it all in a bowl and mix.  Did I mention that's my favorite way to bake?

Here is the original recipe I found on another blog.  I'm so excited she decided to share her yummy recipe, some people are very protective over them, and I've tried 2 different ways making them and haven't failed yet.

Since you can go to her site for the base recipe I won't bother reposting it but I will share the additions and substitutions I used.

For the first attempt I used mini chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.  My step dad (who has a huge sweet tooth) and my son loved these.  All the chocolate sent Grant on a sugar high haha. 

The 2nd attempt I decided to go a little healthier and used 3/4c sliced almonds, 3/4c dried blueberries, and 1/4t cinnamon.  I also used white flour instead of wheat (stupid me forgot to add it to the grocery list).  And can I tell you I couldn't stop eating these.  Not only did my kitchen smell divine with cinnamon but they were so tasty I ate them till I thought I would explode. 

I love how simple the recipe is and it's healthy so I have no guilt letting my little guy eat as much as he wants.