I have made this a few times and each time I get better at waiting. Not better at making the recipe, you heard me right. I get better at waiting. This recipe is a cinch to make and most of the ingredients are easily found at the grocery store. It is the waiting that is hard. I am talking about the point in which you pull out the bars from the oven and see them just sitting on the top of the stove cooling, and know if you have to wait before you can cut them or they will crumble. So you can see them, smell them, but you can't touch them until they are FULLY cooled. So far I haven't been able to make it without at least couple crumbling while cutting. Each time I do get better. That smell of yumminess in the oven gets me every time. Its like those commercials where the mom is trying to get everyone to do something together so she whips up a batch of cookies and tad dahh everyone comes. The power of baked goods.... is amazing.
To make these sweet, healthy, chocolate, nutty, M&M granola bars gather the following ingredients:
1/2 cup Unprocessed Bran or Wheat germ
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup sliced or silvered almonds (both works well)
1/2 cup peanuts, I used salted (plain works well too)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp salt, kosher, course
1/4 cup chocolate protein powder
1/4 cup chocolate protein powder
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, raw or salted (this time i used salted)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, raw or salted (this time i used salted)
2 Tbs or 1 oz of unsalted butter (lots of salt already going on with the nuts)
2 tsp vanilla extract (although am going to try walnut exact next time)
6 oz (half of a bag) peanut m&ms (different colors for different seasons would be cute too... red m&ms for valentines day
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350. Mix the wheat germ/bran, almonds, peanuts, and rolled oats together in a large bowl. Once combined dump the bowl onto 2 baking sheets. Shake the pans a few times to flatten them out.
2. Toast the nut mix for approx 10 minutes. Shake the pans every 2-3 minutes and stir if the outside edges start to turn dark.
3. While the mix is toasting up, grab a small or medium saucepan to melt the butter, and combine the honey, vanilla, and brown sugar. Keep it on low - you do not want this to boil.
4.Once the nut mixture is toasted pour it back into the original large bowl. Add in all the rest of the ingredients and toss together. I smashed about half of the m&ms before combining them in the bowl because they were the medium sized kind and I didn't want them too large. If you don't have m&ms choc chips are an awesome replacement.
5. Pour and stir the honey mixture into the bowl until everything looks coated. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees. Pour the oat/nut mixture into a buttered baking dish. Grab a sturdy spoon or a metal spatula to press the granola mixture flat into the baking dish. Press down firmly. I used 11 X 7 (my largest glass casserole dish).
6. Bake the granola for 25 minutes.
7. Let it cool for approx 30 - 45 minutes. Should be cool to the touch - no heat at all. Run a knife around the edges of the dish to release the granola from the dish. It should come out with no resistance as one large piece if you have buttered the dish well. Cut into squares or rectangles and eat! I mean share with your friends and family. Store any extras (if there are any) in an air tight container. The original recipe says they keep good for a week although I wouldn't know because they don't last that long in my house.
See its easy. Great after school snack, football/baseball/soccer snack, or to eat with lunch.
From my kitchen to yours
6 oz (half of a bag) peanut m&ms (different colors for different seasons would be cute too... red m&ms for valentines day
Not super great with a knife. Should've waited another few minutes before cutting but wow did they taste good! |
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350. Mix the wheat germ/bran, almonds, peanuts, and rolled oats together in a large bowl. Once combined dump the bowl onto 2 baking sheets. Shake the pans a few times to flatten them out.
2. Toast the nut mix for approx 10 minutes. Shake the pans every 2-3 minutes and stir if the outside edges start to turn dark.
3. While the mix is toasting up, grab a small or medium saucepan to melt the butter, and combine the honey, vanilla, and brown sugar. Keep it on low - you do not want this to boil.
4.Once the nut mixture is toasted pour it back into the original large bowl. Add in all the rest of the ingredients and toss together. I smashed about half of the m&ms before combining them in the bowl because they were the medium sized kind and I didn't want them too large. If you don't have m&ms choc chips are an awesome replacement.
5. Pour and stir the honey mixture into the bowl until everything looks coated. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees. Pour the oat/nut mixture into a buttered baking dish. Grab a sturdy spoon or a metal spatula to press the granola mixture flat into the baking dish. Press down firmly. I used 11 X 7 (my largest glass casserole dish).
6. Bake the granola for 25 minutes.
7. Let it cool for approx 30 - 45 minutes. Should be cool to the touch - no heat at all. Run a knife around the edges of the dish to release the granola from the dish. It should come out with no resistance as one large piece if you have buttered the dish well. Cut into squares or rectangles and eat! I mean share with your friends and family. Store any extras (if there are any) in an air tight container. The original recipe says they keep good for a week although I wouldn't know because they don't last that long in my house.
See its easy. Great after school snack, football/baseball/soccer snack, or to eat with lunch.
From my kitchen to yours
Thanks for the link up Stephanie. I'm so glad you're enjoying this recipe. I haven't made them in a while and have been meaning to. Your post has me pining for one!! :) I need to add m&ms - YUM!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Heather :) Love your recipes. Tried like a doz of them. I love finding I can make "store bought" stuff at home and it tastes better. My mother in law loves your tamale pie and my hubby asks for the no can tuna casserole often. So cool to impress visitors when they swing by...
Deletehttp://www.farmgirlgourmet.com/2011/02/no-can-tuna-noodle-casserole.html.
http://www.farmgirlgourmet.com/2010/09/its-cold-outside.html
( I do mine in the oven instead of the crockpot)