Tweaked from a classic family friend recipe
These are (and have been since high school) a mainstay in my mom’s freezer. The first thing I looked for in University care packages was a zip lock full of these and I still rummage through her freezer as soon as I arrive… always on the hunt for these granola bars.
What makes this the perfect bar for your big hike? We’ve got three reasons.
One: we all know what the most common big hike craving is… chocolate.
Two: after major exertion of any kind, you need a snack with a good protein-to-carb ratio for optimal recovery. Bonus: the quick sugars of the brown rice syrup will give you easy energy for the way down – which is still tough!
Three: if you pack ‘em into your pack while frozen – they’ll be perfectly thawed and prime for snacking by the time you summit. (Without getting too squished on the way up)
Tip: Keep the overall amounts, but feel free to switch up the nuts and seeds used. This recipe is a great way to use up the dregs of your pantry – so use up what needs to go.
Ingredients
Dry
3 cups oats (quick oats are best here but large-flake work too!)
½ cup coconut flakes
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup slivered almonds
½ cup goji berries (soaked or unsoaked) OR craisins
1/3 cup ground flax
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
½ cup coconut sugar
½ – ¾ cup dark, fair trade chocolate chips
Wet
2/3 cup all-natural peanut butter (I did half and half with almond butter – if you can it’s nice to have at least a little of the peanut flavour in this dish)
½ cup brown rice syrup
¼ – ½ cup coconut sugar
2 tsp vanilla
½ cup melted butter (you may use coconut oil instead – I used butter because I think it’s flavour in this dish is the best!)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together and stir to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients together and stir to combine.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet and again, stir to combine. Transfer the whole thing into a flat pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
5. Remove from oven once done, immediately slice into squares and then let cool.
