Granola Bars

By sunshinemom

Ingredients

• 2 cups oats (sometimes I substitute Multi-Grain Cheerios)
• 3/4 cup wheat germ
• 1 cup crushed peanuts
• *******
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 4 T Smart Balance
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 6-8 oz dried fruit (your choice)
• 1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Details

Servings 20
Adapted from sunshinemom.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

*Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
*Line a jelly roll pan with foil (or any cookie sheet with sides). No need to grease it, just spread out the oats and wheat germ.
*Crush your peanuts. I like to use low sodium dry roasted peanuts, but you can use any type of peanut or nut that you like. I use my mini chopper to chop up the peanuts, but you can crush them in a plastic bag using a cup.
*Add the peanuts to the oats and wheat germ and mix.
*Toast them in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes and checking two minutes early. You don't want the wheat germ to burn. After they are done you can turn off the oven.
*Line a 9x13 inch glass baking pan with wax paper. Grease the paper with a little cooking spray and set aside.
*Add your toasted mix to a large bowl and pour in fruit of choice. I like to use a 6 oz bag of mixed fruit.
*Add the brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla, and salt to a saucepan.
*Melt over medium low heat
until the mixture comes to a simmer or low, low boil. Remove from heat when you see the first little bubbles coming to the surface.
*Pour your yummy sugar mixture into the bowl over the fruit and oats.
*Stir and make sure that everything is evenly coated.
*Now add the chocolate chips
*Drop your granola bar mixture into your greased and lined 9x13 pan.
*Spread evenly to all sides.
*Cover with another sheet of wax paper and press down hard. You aren't going to bake these, so you need to press them into shape so they won't fall apart.
*Leave the wax paper on top and set aside to cool and set for 2 hours. Then remove top sheet of paper and use the bottom sheet to pick up the entire giant bar and put it on a cutting board or your counter top.
*I make four cuts lengthwise and three width wise.

Enjoy!