Homemade granola bars

Store-bought granola bars are expensive and most are full of junk.  Don't be fooled by the title "granola."  Most are full of sugar and have very little nutritional value.  I love having nutritious snacks on hand so I was very excited when I came across the following recipe.  These granola bars are filling, all natural, and cheaper than store-bought.

You'll need 1/2 cup of peanut butter or almond butter

1/3 cup of honey (I used raw honey here, but it's not necessary)

1/4 coconut oil

1 cup of quick cooking oats

1 cup of extras (raisins, nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, etc.)

In this batch I used raisins and flax seeds.  I often use raisins and shelled, roasted sunflower seeds.

Start by melting the nut butter, honey, and oil together in a pan.

Stir continually to make sure it mixes well.

Once the nut butter, honey, and oil are mixed, add the oat and extras and mix well.

Press into an 8x8 dish and cool in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Maybe two.

Once it's completely cooled, cut into bars.  You can make them as small or as large as you'd like.  I cut 9 bars.

I wrap my granola bars in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator.  

There is one tricky thing about these granola bars; they need to stay cool.  They get kind of melty and messy when they're left out for a while.  Otherwise I have no complaints.  I absolutely love these granola bars.  They're delicious and and really easy to make.

I realize with the nut butter and the coconut oil, there is a high fat content.  Let me take a moment to caution you against your fear of fat.  Fat, in and of itself, is not bad.  Also, fat does not make you fat.  Sugar makes you fat.  The fat in these granola bars is healthy fat (as long as you're using natural nut butter).  Coconut oil is wonderful for you.  Also, if you're eating a generally nutritious diet with plenty of vegetables, having one of these granola bars as a snack should not be a concern.

What's great about these bars is that they are full of protein, healthy fat, and fiber so they fill you up with things your body can use and will keep you full much longer than store-bought sugar bars.

Enjoy!