These nutty granola bars are the perfect after school snack for the kids, or a great post-workout refuel. They are deliciously chewy, and have a beautiful hint of sweetness from the honey….
Protein packed, with plenty of nuts and seeds, and a great slow release carbohydrate hit from the fabulously nutritious oats. Granola bars are a great ’quick snack’ option, without having to compromise on taste, or your healthy intentions. I love snacks for my kids that include oats, as I know it will actually fill them up! There is nothing worse than seeing them grab a biscuit, knowing that they will be starving again in a few minutes. Frustrating!
You can vary the ingredients of these granola bars to suit your taste, as is usual with most of my recipes. Almonds and cashews are a particular favourite of mine, although any nut will work, hazelnuts, macadamias or brazil nuts would be amazing too. When chopping the nuts, try to keep the pieces small enough that they will hold together well in the mix, but not too small that you miss the crunch. If you leave the pieces too big the bars will fall apart, and you will end up having to use as granola instead of bars…not the end of the world, but not really the aim here!
Honey is a great natural substitute for sugar, and I find a less intense sweetness too. However, with honey, you need to bear in mind that it is still a ‘sugar’, albeit it in natural form. In this recipe, the honey is one of the key ingredients for holding the granola bars together, along with the coconut oil. Coconut oil is a fantastic ingredient to use, as well as being an incredibly healthy ‘fat’ it solidifies at room temperature, so brilliant in this recipe.
A word of caution
Make sure you leave the granola bar slab to cool completely in the tin before you remove it, as this will help hold it all together. When cutting you may find the middle slightly crumbly, I find this happens if I haven’t cooked for quite long enough, or a larger, shallower tin is needed. I’m never short of helpers to dispose of these ‘crumbs’ for me though, so never wasted! Do try and cut as carefully as possible to avoid too much breakage, not being processed, the bars are quite delicate. Not a bad compromise for having a super healthy, nutritious and delicious snack.
Enjoy!
Nutty Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 200g Jumbo Rolled Oats
- 50g Nuts, roughly chopped – I like almonds & cashews
- 20g Pumpkin or Sunflower Seeds
- 1 tbsp. Chia Seeds
- 15g Coconut Flakes, roughly chopped if large
- 3 tbsp. Honey
- 45g Coconut Oil, melted
Method
Preheat oven to 160°C fan.
Grease and line a baking tin. I use a 20x20cm (8”x8”) square tin, but use larger if you prefer thinner bars – remember to adjust cooking time accordingly.
Place oats, nuts, seeds and coconut flakes into large bowl and mix together.
Add melted coconut oil and honey, stirring well to combine all ingredients.
Spoon mixture into prepared tin, spreading evenly, and pressing firmly in.
Cook for approx. 30-35 minutes. Times will vary depending on your oven, and tin size, so do keep an eye on it. It’s ready when the top is a nice golden brown.
Leave to cool in tin.
Once completely cooled, lift out and place on chopping board. Slice carefully into bars. The middle may be slightly crumbly, but see this as an opportunity for taste testing!!
Fiona Lyne - A lover of healthy living, interiors, fitness, fashion and food.