Granola Bars

I am always looking for good snacks to have around the house and for my 4.5 year old to take to preschool. His school is nut-free, so this easy recipe for granola bars is perfect.

This is a great recipe for kids to help with: measuring, stirring, and putting the batter in the pan are all fun for kids to do. In our kitchen, we have a Learning Tower, which was the best investment we made when our oldest turned 1. Now, both boys can stand at the counter to watch and help.

In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups of rolled oats, 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup of flax seed or wheat germ, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup AP flour, and 3/4 tsp salt. In a small liquid measuring cup, mix 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 1 beaten egg, and 2 tsp vanilla. Stir liquid mixture into dry mixture until combined. Carefully mix in 3/4 cup of chocolate chips, raisins, or dried cranberries. Use your hands to press the mixture evenly into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350, until golden at the edges.

Cool for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to loosen the edges and turn the pan onto a large cutting board. Immediately cut into 16 bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

P.S. To grease pans for baking, I use a bottle of spray oil. I really hate the smell of the propellant in those cans of cooking spray (like Pam) - ugh. Luckily, my grocery store sells little plastic spritzer bottles of oil. It does not spray as evenly as the other kind, but it works just fine. You can also buy a reusable pump-style bottle at a kitchen-supply store, but mine got clogged.