I cannot say enough good things about the cookbook The Family Cooks. If there’s one cookbook to own, this is what I recommend, especially if you don’t necessarily consider yourself a whiz in the kitchen. It’s not too basic (I don’t need directions to roast basic vegetables, vegetable by vegetable), it doesn’t expect me to make frivolous things from scratch like crème fraîche, and it doesn’t expect your pantry to house a dozen obscure spices (although my spice cabinet has many, many things). I need to do a book review, but for now I’ll post about the most amazing granola bars I’ve ever eaten.

I always have the best intentions of making my own bread and my own pop tarts, but frankly when I can buy something much better than I could ever possibly make, then to Trader Joe’s I will go. On occasion I will make simple quickbreads (a fancy term for banana breads/zucchini breads), and I’d been bookmarking endless granola recipes until I realized that making granola bars would be far more practical for something on-the-go. And I’ve discovered granola bars aren’t all that difficult to make.

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I am picky with my granola bars. I find most store bought kinds far too chocolaty, or too peanut buttery (often bathed in chocolate coating thicker than that of a candy bar like Cliff Bars). The ones that are “healthy” are often super dry and taste like cardboard (Kashi, I’m looking at you). I’m not a fan of Luna bars or Lara bars – I like my granola bars soft and chewy and not overpoweringly chocolatey. You might suggest Kind bars, but I think there are two that are so much softer and tastier – Bora Bora bars, which I sadly see are now discontinued, and Mariani Honey Bars.

Nut Butter Granola Bars

  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup nut oil or coconut oil
  • 2/3 cup unsalted almond or peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
  • 3 cups mixed raw nuts and seeds
  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cups whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • a couple handfuls of mini chocolate chips (optional).

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line  a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper (I didn’t do this, nor did I grease my pyrex and it was fine).

Combine first three ingredients in a big bowl and mix until thoroughly incorporated – this works well with a Kitchenaid and a paddle attachment. Add the rest of the ingredients, mixing on low.

Firmly pat the dough flat onto the baking pan and bake until golden, 30-40 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut into small bars. Bars can be placed back into the hot, turned-off oven and left to “cool” there for an extra crunch.

Wrapped tightly, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week or frozen for future use.

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I would imagine that you could beef these up with a scoop or two of protein powder. I could even imagine you could omit the flour completely and do a sesame seed base in place of the flour. I used almond butter this round, and for my mixed nuts and seeds I used what I had in the house: 1 cup sliced almonds almonds (I think slivered would work better), 1/2 cup flax seeds, 1/2 cup sesame seeds, 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds and 1/2 cup hazelnuts. A friend said my bars tasted like moon cake (not exactly what I was going for, but still great and pliable).  You could even substitute sunflower seed butter and go completely nut-free and seed-only if there are allergies in the house