Recipe: Homemade Granola Bars- 5 Ingredients

Another recipe from this weekend! I was browsing my cousin's amazing blog (newmomandthecity.blogspot.com) the other day and found this super easy recipe for granola bars! Now I personally happen to be a huge fan of granola bars...I eat them from breakfast every single day and usually as a mid-afternoon snack as well. They're the perfect snack on the go, whether you're looking for a quick protein fix after an intense workout, need a little sustenance to survive the afternoon lag, or just need a pick me whilst out shopping (Yes, I carry granola bars in my purse at all times just in case I get hungry while I give my credit cards a workout ). Plus nowadays, they have so many different types with all the ingredients you could ever imagine: dark chocolate chips, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, peanut butter, cranberries, blueberries, etc. My only problem with them is the weird chemicals and preservatives hidden away in the ingredients list. I like knowing what I'm eating, and even the cleanest ones I could find (I've been eating the Kashi Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt ones) have mysterious ingredients that I don't see in the bar. So when I found this recipe I was super excited and couldn't wait to try it! It only takes about 20 minutes to make and the results are delicious.

Ingredients:
-1 cup pitted dates (I used Costco's Medjool Dates)
-1 1/2 cups oats (I used Quaker Instant Oats)
-1/4 peanut butter
-1/4 honey
-1 cup chopped almonds

1.) This is technically an optional step, but I roasted my oats first, because I prefer the taste. Turn up the oven to a nice toasty 350 degrees and roast them for about 10-15 minutes, moving them around occasionally.



2.) Process the dates in your food processor until they form a nice sticky round ball

(Yummmmm)

3.) Combine the dates dough, chopped almonds (just pulse them in the food processor for a few seconds), and roasted oats in a large mixing bowl.

4.) Pour the honey and peanut butter into a small, non-stick saucepan and heat it up on the stove over a low flame for about two minutes. Stir constantly.

5.) Pour the peanut butter-honey mixture into the mix and stir thoroughly. I used a fork to mix it properly.

6.) Spread the mixture into a pan, pressing tightly, and allow the mixture to harden (10-15 minutes). Cut into bars and enjoy.

Let's see how long these last!