Granola Bars

Excellent source of fibre and proteins, these nutrients dense bars are super healthy, chewy, nutty and flavourful.

Incredibly easy to make, these moist bars are and should be anybody's go-to snack if they wish to have something in-between their meals.

Add any or all of your favorite nuts, honey, oats, dried and dehydrated fruits and vanilla fllvour to make it totally versatile and satisfying.

Here's how these are made.

Ingredients:

1. 2 Cups old fashioned rolled oats. (I had instant oats hence used those)

2. 1/3 cup honey

3. 1/3 cup maple syrup

4. 1/2 cup chopped almonds

5. 1/2 cup chopped Brazil Nuts. (You could use hazelnuts, pecans if you don't have Brazil Nuts).

6. 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

7. 1/2 cup peanuts

8. 1/2 cup dried cranberries

9. 1/2 cup dried apricots

10. 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

11. 1/2 cup unsweetened dessicated Coconut

12. 1 cup peanut butter

13. 1/2 cup almond butter

14. 2 tablespoons orange zest ( leave some to shower on the top in the end)

15. 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with the parchment paper.

2. In a thick bottom pan, add chopped almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, peanuts and oats.

3. On a slow flame, roast them for about 3-4 minutes until they are slightly aromatic and light golden in color.

4. Switch off the flame and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes.

5. In a mixing bowl, add the roasted nuts and oats, dried cranberries and apricots, dessicated coconut, peanut butter, almond Butter, maple syrup, honey, semisweet chocolate chips, vanilla extract, orange zest.

6. Using a wooden spoon or spatula combine all to form a nice gooey textured mixture.

7. Transfer the granola mixture into the prepared baking pan.

8. With your hands now try to form a uniform bed of the mixture covering the entire baking pan.

9. You could also use the spatula or the back of the wooden spoon to firmly press the mixture.

10. Now with the help of the knife pre-cut the granola bed into desired sizes. This step helps to cut the granola bars into clean easy sizes after the baking is done without putting too much effort.

11. Shower some orange zest over for appetizing look.

12. Now pop the prepared baking pan into the preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes. I would suggest you look out for the granola bars after 25 minutes. If it's slightly golden in color, your granola bars are done and ready to be removed.

13. Allow it too cool for about 7-8 minutes and then transfer the bars on to wooden board.

14. Now just run the knife on the pre-cut granola bed and your granola bars are ready.

15. Store them in an air-tight jar for about a week over the counter or pack individual bars in baking paper and store them in Ziploc bags and pop them in the freezer for about 2 months.

16. Just make sure to line the baking paper in-between the bars to avoid sticking to each other while storing them.

Happy snacking my friends!

Here's few pictures of main steps for your easy understanding.

Step 5:

Step 5:

Step 7, 8, 9 :

Step 10:

And they are done!