Due to popular demand, today’s recipe is how we make granola bars in our house.
These are amazingly delicious, and my fiance even likes them, and he doesn’t like granola bars.
Not only are they yummy, they’re packed with all sorts of ingredients that are good FOR you! Nutritional yeast is one of those good FOR you ingredients.
What’s nutritional yeast you ask?
Well, it’s a yeast grown on beet sugar and molasses, then fermented and dried so it’s gluten free and won’t form yeast in your body. It’s great for nursing moms (helps with milk production if you’re “feeling low”!) and is beneficial for babies who aren’t nursing.
It is SUPER rich in B vitamins (just 1Tbsp contains 100% of the daily B12 recommended for an adult), a great source of 18 amino acids and 15 minerals (including phosphorus, zinc, selenium, iron and magnesium). It also contains protein, folic acid, biotin and a load of other vitamins!
It’s sometimes available in your bulk section, or you can order it on Amazon!
So without further ado, I give you…..
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned oats (I use the Quaker Oats, but Bob's Red Mill makes some good ones too)
- 1 cup chopped nuts (measure them AFTER you chop them..I used almonds)
- 2T sunflower seeds (totally optional)
- 1/4c nutritional yeast
- 1tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/3c honey
- 1/3 agave syrup
- 3T coconut oil (or homemade coconut butter, if you're so inclined..recipe here: http://www.crunchybetty.com/coconut-butter-recipe-3-steps-to-bliss)
- 2 cups chopped dried fruit (for this batch, I used apricots and dried cranberries...look for fruits that are unsulphered and where fruit is the only ingredient)
- palmful candied ginger, chopped
- Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Cocoa Nibs (usually by the register, in a little mint-type tin. Can't find another place to get these, but they're totally optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter (or use coconut oil) a brownie pan (8x8) and line with parchment paper. (DON'T use wax paper. Your granola bars will taste like candles. Ew.)
- On a rimmed baking sheet, add oatmeal, nuts and sunflower seeds (if using). Stir to distribute evenly. Bake for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned. WHILE you are toasting these, melt the coconut oil.
- Remove the oatmeal mix from the oven into a large mixing bowl and reduce oven temperature to 300F.
- Stir in nutritional yeast. While mix is still warm, add all other ingredients EXCEPT cocoa nibs. Stir until well-combined.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan and using a spatula (or your hand in a plastic bag), press until mix is even and tightly packed.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until edges are browned. (Bake for 20 if you want chewy, not crunchy bars).
- Right after removing from oven, scatter cocoa nibs (I used half the tin, but you can use more if you'd like) and press them into the surface of the granola.
- Let cool for 2-3 hours and then cut into squares or bar shapes. You can store these in the freezer if you'd like, they stay good in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 weeks.
ENJOY!
Now it’s you turn! Please link up your healthy recipes below:
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Submitted by Libby (@miacupcake) from Bruises in the Frosting. Mom. Derby girl (team FLASH). Baker. PR-friendly blogger. Postpartum doula. Firmly anti-Beeber. Mamavation Grad. AWESOMESAUCE.
