If you like to cook and get creative like me sometimes you end up with a lot of left over ingredients filling up all the space in your pantry. The great thing about homemade granola bars are that you can really use whatever you have on hand. If you want to make them naturally sweet use more dried fruit. Not worried about calories - sweeten with chocolate or caramel! Granola is a great way to create something out of what you've got while still tasting good and satisfying those cravings in a healthy way. Today I made puffed rice granola with walnuts, pine nuts, shredded coconuts and even some crushed smarties! If you are interested in making granola bars at home I have included the recipe below! ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of unsalted butter
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/4 tsp of salt
2.5 cups of rice puffs
1/3 cup of shredded coconut
1/4 cup of crushed walnut
1/4 cup of pine nuts
1/4 cup of crushed smarties
DIRECTIONS:
In a small sauce pan on medium heat melt the brown sugar, honey and butter together. Stir until completely liquefied. Remove from heat, add in your vanilla extract and salt before setting aside.
In a large bowl mix in your puffed rice, shredded coconut, walnuts, pine nuts and crushed smarties - mix up that goodness!!!
Once the melted sugar, butter mixture has cooled a little (dont want it to melt your chocolate) add it to the big bowl of puffed rice and mix until fully incorporated.
Take a deep flat dish and line with aluminum foil before pouring in granola mixture. Spread around using a spatula and let chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge before chopping in granola bars!!!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Bon Appetite!!!