Granola Bars can be a breakfast or a snack…it depends on how they are made. These bars are a great Gluten Free YogaLean grab-and-go breakfast, snack after athletic activities, or something to take with you on an airplane flight.
I make these each time I fly. I can take them on the plane with dried fruit or fresh apple slices or grapes to ensure I have healthy, gluten free options while I am in transit. I prefer to take fresh fruit for the moisture content as flights dry me out, but that is not always feasible. Always have a plan A and a plan B when traveling!
HINT: When I travel I use almond, cashew, sunflower seed or walnut butter (and matching nuts/seeds) as many people have peanut allergies.
The recipe is simple, it is a derivation of my granola bars with dried fruit, and can be made many different ways so you will never get bored! The recipe is an ode to Rice Krispie Treats my mom made me when I was young…now grown-up and Gluten Free!
Enjoy this recipe and find other Gluten Free recipes at http://healthyrecipevariations.blogspot.com/.
Ingredients:
2 cups oats
1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Chex Cereal (Rice or Corn)
1/2 cup flax seed meal or ground flaxseed
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 TBSP cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
1 cup nut butter
Stir-ins: 1/2 cup diced dried fruit (no sulphur dioxide or sugar added is best), mini dark chocolate chips, or chopped nuts
Spray for the 9 x 12 pan (olive oil or coconut oil)
Substitutions/Additions:
Peanut Butter: Substitute any nut butter (almond, cashew or walnut work well) or Sunflower Seed Butter. NOTE: When flying I try to avoid peanut butter as there may be a fellow traveler with a peanut allergy and you will not be able to unwrap and eat the food to avoid triggering a fellow passenger’s allergy.
Additions: Coconut, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, or pepitas can be added if you wish a different texture and/or flavor.
Cooking Tips:
• I like to add nuts that correspond to the nut butter I used in the recipe.
• For this recipe, doubling the diced dried fruit will ensure that each bite has an ode to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich…a comfort food!
Instructions
1. Start by gently crushing your cereal. Break up the Chex into smaller pieces, not into dust/flour.
2. In a mixer or a large bowl, combine all the DRY ingredients.
3. Warm the peanut butter (or nut butter you are using) in the microwave for 30 seconds or in a pan until it gets a bit runny. Add the warm peanut butter to the dry ingredients and mix to coat. I use ONCE AGAIN nut butters.
4. Add the honey to the mixture and stir to coat.
5. Transfer the mixture to the greased pan. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Let rest to solidify for 30 minutes to 1 hour then cut into bars.
HINT: Cooking time for soft and chewy bars is 25-30 minutes for soft and chewy, 30-35 minutes for medium, 35-45 minutes for crunchy.
