Healthy Chocolate Chip Granola Bar Recipe

OK, so maybe it's not so healthy because it does have chocolate chips in it ;-) However, I think I've come up with a pretty good basic recipe that you can substitute the chocolate chips for something else such as dried fruit.

My recipe is SO much healthier than any granola bar you can purchase at the store. Here's an ingredient list from a popular brand of chocolate chip chewy granola bars. What do you see? Lots of yucky stuff! They are filled with preservatives and hydrogenated oils! Don't you love the "Adds a dietary insignificant amount of trans fat". All I want to say about that is look who allows them to say this AND this same group of people also allow our public school food to be the same crap!

Then they put this info on there as well. I'm sure this is on the front of the box at the store. Trying to promote how their bar is healthy since there is no high fructose corn syrup, but really it STILL contains CORN SYRUP which IMO is the same thing!

So, back to my recipe! I looked at several recipes and had one failed batch of granola bars. Really it failed because I baked them too long and burned the bottom. So I revamped the recipe and tried again :-)I really like this recipe and the bars do not fall apart which I have problems with my no-bake granola bars as they come to room temp.

Ingredients:
2 cups of rolled oats (I buy mine from the bulk food section at Whole Foods)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup nuts (I used half pecans and walnuts)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 egg
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted for a few seconds in the microwave)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I'm working on using up this huge bottle I got in the Caribbean this past January!)


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Can't forget the picture of the chocolate chips! These are made with sugar, but there are other alternatives available at Whole Foods such as vegan, dairy free, sweetened with evaporated cain juice, carob chips, etc.

Add all your dry ingredients to your bowl and mix well.

Then add your liquid ingredients.

Coconut oil.

Mmm, honey!

Add the egg.

Mix well. 

Dump into a foil lined 9x13 glass baking dish.

Evenly spread out mixture.

Press firmly into pan.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. 

Lift the foil out while still hot and cut into squares with pizza cutter. 

Then enjoy! I keep these in an air-tight container in the fridge since it has an egg in it. I actually like them cold, I think they have more flavor that way.