Protein Granola Bar Recipe

Healthy and Delicious Homemade Protein Bars

I just made this batch of protein granola bars today. This is our go to snack…healthy and delicious. It’s not sweet like the bars you get at the store. No additives, no preservatives, no added sugar or syrup. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

* 2 cups roughly chopped nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts or a mix

• 1/3cup honey

• 1/2cup creamy peanut butter (we use pure peanut butter with only two ingredients, peanuts and salt)

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

• ⅓ cup dried cranberries or tart cherries

* 1 cup of pitted dates: blended to make a puree

• Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper so that two sides of the paper overhang the sides like handles. Coat generously with nonstick spray.

• Spread the oats and nuts on a large flat baking sheet. Toast in the oven until it looks lightly golden and the nuts are toasted and fragrant, about 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

• Meanwhile, heat the honey and peanut butter together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the mixture is smoothly combined. Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.

• As soon as the oat mixture is finished toasting, carefully transfer it into the saucepan with the peanut butter. With a rubber spatula, stir to combine.

• Scoop the batter into the prepared baking pan. With the back of a spatula, press the bars into a single layer, I use a clean coffee tamper to pat mine down. (You also can place a sheet of plastic wrap against the surface to deter sticking, then using your fingers; discard the plastic prior to baking).

• Bake the healthy granola bars for 15 to 20 minutes: 20 minutes will yield crunchier bars; at 15 they will be slightly chewy. With the bars still in the pan, press a knife down into the pan to cut into bars of your desired size (be sure to pick a knife that will not damage your pan—I typically cut into 2 rows of 5). Do not remove the bars. Let them cool completely in the pan.

• Once the bars have cooled completely, use the parchment to lift them onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut the bars again in the same place, going over your lines to separate. Pull apart and enjoy!

• TO STORE: Store granola bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or refrigerate for 2 weeks.

• TO FREEZE: Wrap bars airtight and store them in a ziptop bag in the freezer. Let thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature when ready to enjoy.