Make Your Own: Granola Bars

I made some awesome Peanut Butter Granola last week.  It was amazing with only 5 ingredients, so my next step was to try bars. (yes, i also think that i should buy stock in Quaker Oats.)

The more I read, and I read a lot, the more I realize that I've got to get the processed junk out of this house.

I had bought a box of like 80 granola bars at Costco awhile back for $10 and thought, "Wow, what a bargain!".  Yeah.  A bargain in processed sugar.

If I'm gonna double the sugar I eat each day, it's going to be through homemade cookies, you know?

I think we've all been tricked into thinking granola bars are healthy.  When did that begin?

Make Your Own:  Granola Bars

I took 3/4 a cup of trail mix and 1/4 a cup of the dark chocolate pomegranates and food-processed them together.  Use whatever you have.  I'm truly just trying to get rid of those pomegranate things.  I also had just a few chocolate chips left in that bag so I tossed them into the food processor with everything else.

1 cup trail mix
1/4 cup chocolate chips, if desired
3 cups old-fashioned oats

1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup peanut butter
2 t. vanilla

In a food processor, chop up the trail mix and chocolate chips.  Stir into a big mixing bowl with the oats.

In a small saucepan, melt the honey, peanut butter, and vanilla together on low heat.  Stir frequently.  It may start to boil, but just let it cook for a couple of minutes.

Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture and stir well.  Press into an 8x8 pan, cover, and refrigerate for a couple of hours before cutting into bars.

Store cut bars in the refrigerator.