Granola bars are a great snack to bring on any outdoor activity. The healthy snack offers a burst of energy during any long hike. Here are two recipes for granola bars that are easy and fun to make.

Nutella-raisin bar

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons Nutella
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup cranberries or raisins

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease a baking dish.
2. Spread the oats evenly across a baking sheet. Toast the oats in preheated oven until browned (about 10 minutes), and transfer to a large mixing bowl with the cranberries and raisins.
3. Mix the honey, Nutella, vanilla extract and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until smooth.
4. Pour the mixture over the oats in the mixing bowl. Stir to coat, and spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake in preheated oven until beginning to dry — 15 minutes for crunchy granola bars, less for chewier ones. Cool completely before cutting.

Optional:
To make a Nutella drizzle, heat Nutella in a sauce pan over medium heat until smooth, and drizzle over bars. Add additional cranberries or raisins for an additional sweet taste.

—Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com 

 

Peanut butter-nuts bar

Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup walnuts and almonds
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Spread the oats evenly across a baking sheet. Toast the oats in preheated oven until browned (about 10 minutes), and transfer to a large mixing bowl, adding the walnuts and almonds.
3. Mix the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a saucepan and bring into a boil over medium heat.
4. Pour the mixture over the oats and nuts in the mixing bowl. Stir to coat, and spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake in preheated oven until beginning to dry — 15 minutes for crunchy granola bars, 10 minutes for chewier ones. Cool completely before cutting.

Optional:
To make a peanut butter drizzle, heat smooth peanut butter in a bowl in a microwave and drizzle over the granola bars. Add additional nuts if desired for an extra crunch.

—Recipe adapted from foodnetwork.com

Published on April 2, 2015 at 12:30 am