Homemade Granola Bars for kids lunches- 2 Recipes

(add drizzled white chocolate, if desired)

Makes 30-35 bars about 2 1/2 inches squared each

These pack a healthy punch!  For a sheet pan:

4 c. rolled oats
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. wheat germ
1 c. ground flaxseeds
1 c. nuts or pumpkin seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 c. honey or agave
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. evoo or coconut oil, melted
4 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. chocolate chips, or white, butterscotch, etc.

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a sheet pan.  Mix together dry ingredients, then make a well in the middle and add wet ingredients.  After it’s all incorporated, add chocolate chips and mix well, using your hands if necessary.  Pat mixture evenly into the prepared pan. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes until bars begin to turn golden at the edges.  Cool for 5-10 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm.  Do not allow bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

Nicole's bars- more like sturdy cookies. Makes 30-35 bars about 2 1/2 inches squared each

1 ½ c. honey
1 c. butter, softened (recipe originally said 1 1/2 cups butter)
6 ¾ c. rolled oats
1 ½-2 c. ww flour
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 c. seeds or nuts or fruit
1-2 c. white or chocolate (or other) chips

(Ideas for add-in goodies: mini chocolate chips, raisins, sunflower seeds, coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries or cherries, etc.  My kids like butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips).

In a stand mixer, combine softened butter and honey.  Add in all the ingredients except the add-ins and mix until well combined.  Stir in the add-ins by hand.  Press mixture into a greased sheet pan.  It’s a little sticky so put a few drops of water on your hands to help you press the mixture in firmly.

Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  They won’t look quite done, but will firm up while cooling.  After they cool for at least 10 minutes, cut them into bars.  When completely cool, remove from pan, and store in air-tight container or freeze.  They will be gobbled up faster than you can imagine!

*Once bars are cut and cooled, I wrap them individually in plastic sheets from the restaurant store, and then store in the freezer in big zip-lock bags. That way they can just grab one each day and it helps keep their lunch cold, but defrosts by lunch-time.