Homemade Granola Bars
The staggering amount of waste linked to food production in the United States, generated to create products like granola bars, is overwhelming to say the least. Fortunately, there is another way (cue the triumphant horns: da-da-daah!)
Granola bars are a perfect example of how to turn an overly packaged food (those individually wrapped chewy gooeys
Containers of foods bought in bulk
are quite the waste generators) into a bulk buying – and super fun baking – experience. At many self-proclaimed health food stores, you can find a bulk department to stock up on the ingredients you will need for the following recipe. Don’t forget to bring your own reusable bags or containers to put your oats, flour, nuts, and dried fruits into, along with a bag to put all those bags and containers in. Some stores even offer places to refill oils and sweeteners, but if not, consider buying the bigger containers – typically a better deal for both the wallet and the planet.
Another option is to search out – or start your own! – a bulk buying club. The ingredients used below, except the whole wheat flour from the local Gasper Family Farm, all came from the New Boston buying club. This is the ultimate bulk buying experience – where most of the food is available in grandiose sizes – like 50 lb. bags of flour – that can be split among the group’s members to significantly cut costs and packaging waste. In the pictured finished bars, I used sunflower seeds and almonds as the nuts/seeds portion, raisins as the dried fruit portion, coconut oil as the oil portion, agave nectar as the sweetener, and cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla as the flavorings of choice.
The Pantry of Bulk
Homemade Granola Bars
INGREDIENTS
4 c. rolled oats
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. seeds or chopped nuts
1 – 1 1/2 c. chopped dried fruit (raisins, shredded coconut, cranberries, apples, etc.,)
1/2 c. oil (butter, coconut oil, peanut oil, sesame oil)
1/3 c. water
1/2 c. sweetener (honey, maple syrup, agave nectar)
pinch of salt plus other spices or flavorings you like
PROCEDURE:
Mix oats, flour, nuts/seeds and dried fruit together in a bowl. Warm oil, sweetener, water, salt and other flavorings on stovetop until all melted together. Add the “gooey glue” to the dry ingredients, and mix until well combined. Don’t be afraid to use your hands and get messy – it’s super fun, plus helps the water bind the flour to create a stickiness that holds the bars together (think of it is a tasty paper maiche project). Press the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish – preferably glass – and set in the oven at 325 degrees F for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from
Weighing down the bars
oven, cover with a clean dish towel, and top with weights to help the bars cool and hold together solidly. (This morning, I used some jars of rice and oats on top of two big cookbooks to evenly distribute the weight across the bars). Let cool, remove weights and towel, and cut into 20 or so bars. Will keep in an air-tight container for a week or so, but they can be refrigerated to extend their lifespans. Additionally, if you like your bars sweeter or are having trouble getting everything to stick together, additional oils and sweeteners, or even melting some peanut butter into the “glue” ingredients can help hold it all in place – almost as good as spandex.
Happy Plate 