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Homemade granola bars are the upgrade your snack drawer needs
You won't go back to the box once your granola bars start coming fresh out of the oven
Reading labels on boxes and packets is fast becoming a mindful grocery-store habit, though there’s no denying it can feel tedious when done day after day. Still, if you’re taking the time to scan ingredient lists, it’s a clear sign you care about what goes into your body.
That said, no matter how clean a product claims to be, anything designed to sit on a shelf, within a window of extended perishability, inevitably contains some level of artificial additives or preservatives. This is exactly why National Granola Bar Day feels like the perfect excuse to go fully all-natural with your healthy eats. Follow this once-size-fits-all recipe below.
Homemade sticky granola bars
Ingredients: Pitted dates - 1 heaping packed cup, maple syrup or honey - 1/4 cup, creamy salted natural peanut butter or almond butter - 1/4 cup, roasted unsalted almonds - 1 cup, rolled oats - 1.5 cups; chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, banana chips, vanilla etc as optional add-ons for more flavour
Method: #1 Process dates in a food processor or a mixer on low till it separates into a dough-like consistency.
#2 Toast the oats for 10 to 15 minutes at 176C till they turn slightly golden brown. Place this with the oats (and your dry add-ons if any) in a separate bowl and set aside.
#3 Warm the maple syrup or honey with your choice of nut butter on low heat. Stir this and pour over the oat mixture. Give this a good mix with a spatula, also breaking into the date dough.
#4 When completely integrated, transfer the mix to a baking dish linked with butter paper. Press down firmly on this to get your desired thickness on the bars.
#5 Cover the top with some more butter paper and let it firm up in the fridge for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
#6 Once firm, chop the block into 10 even bars or 9 squares. Store in an airtight container and consume batch within 3 to 4 days.
(recipe from Minimalist Baker)
Will you be ditching the box for the baking tray?
