This weekend our new standup freezer arrived and I could hardly wait to start loading it up with homemade food in preparation for the baby coming next month. In an effort to keep us from eating fast food while we transition to life with a newborn, I’ve started making extra portions of our favourite meals to freeze for the months to come. Most of what I’m making are dinner entrées, breakfasts and baked goods, but I was looking for an easy one-handed snack that I could grab in a pinch and eat one handed while breastfeeding. Then it dawned on me – homemade granola bars!
With my nut allergies, it isn’t always easy to find granola bars that are not only safe but full of nutritious ingredients. That’s when I decided to experiment with making my own. These bars are full of delicious mix-ins that not only taste great, but keep me satisfied. I’ve been packing them in our lunches lately and we both love them. They’re surprisingly easy to make and freeze great.
Loaded with rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, chia seeds, chocolate chips and raisins, these bars pack a powerful punch. The sweetness comes from a little bit of brown sugar and some honey. (Still working away at what we have left from the DIY Honey Jar Wedding Favours two years later!) Next up I’m going to attempt to make an apple cinnamon version using our dehydrator!
Nut Free Chewy Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- ¼ cup hemp hearts
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ⅔ cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, apricots, etc)
- ⅔ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a 9" x 13" rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine oats, seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon and sea salt.
- In a smaller bowl, stir together honey, melted coconut oil and vanilla until combined.
- Pour liquid over dry ingredients and toss until thoroughly combined. Stir in dried fruit and chocolate chips.
- Pour mixture into rimmed baking sheet and press down firmly until uniformly flattened. You really need to press the bars down to help them hold together. I use the back of a large spoon coated in coconut oil to keep it from sticking.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly golden.
- Cool for a full two hours before cutting. Score with a knife before cutting.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a 9″ x 13″ rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine oats, seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon and sea salt. In a smaller bowl, stir together honey, melted coconut oil and vanilla until combined.
Pour liquid over dry ingredients and toss until thoroughly combined. Stir in dried fruit and chocolate chips.
Pour mixture into rimmed baking sheet and press down firmly until uniformly flattened. You really need to press the bars down to help them hold together. I use the back of a large spoon coated in coconut oil to keep it from sticking.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly golden. Cool for a full two hours before cutting. Score with a knife before cutting.
Wrap each bar in plastic wrap.
Store in a large plastic bag in the freezer for up to three months. Take one out the night before to thaw for lunches!
