healthy laps

The weather is looking great all week.  Hopefully I can get outside for some workouts!

This morning I took the time to make Steel Cut Oats.  I like them so much more than rolled oats, but they take a lot more time to cook.  Since I decided to study this morning instead of going for a run, I had an extra 30 minutes for my oats to simmer on the stove.

I kept the oats really plain today – no flax or banana in the mix, but I did have a banana on the side.

Topped with maple granola, 1 tbsp of homemade chocolate almond butter and a drizzle of coconut butter.

One of my baking projects yesterday included making homemade granola bars!  I have been wanting to make them for awhile, but have been trying to eat up the store bought bars we have.  I seem to have a problem with wanting to make homemade everything, even though we have loads of other stuff – like, granola!  A few weeks ago, I made 2 types of granola, however I had also just been sent Galaxy Granola to sample, and haven’t even opened 2 bags of my Kaia Foods samples.  Good thing granola will last for awhile in an airtight container…

Anyways – we were in need for some granola bars, so I was psyched to whip some up.  I looked at a few different recipes, but ultimately decided to just make up my own so that I could throw in whatever I wanted to.  This recipe definitely needs perfecting because the bars do fall apart a bit (maybe I need more liquids??), but they taste really good!  They would be perfect as a granola topping. 🙂

Coconut Almond Granola Bars

makes 12 large bars

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups rolled oats
• 1.25 cups brown rice cereal (for added crunch)
• 1 cup raw almonds, lightly chopped
• 1/2 cup raw pepitas
• 3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut butter
• 1/4 cup sucanat
• 2 tbsp raw almond butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Mix most of the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl: oats, brown rice cereal, almonds, pepitas, coconut, raisins, chia seeds.

Then, add the following ingredients to a small pot on the stove (brown rice syrup, coconut butter, sucanat, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, almond butter), and heat on low until sucanat, coconut butter and almond butter are melted and mixed well.

Then pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix well.  You may have to use your hands!

Lighty spray a baking pan with oil of your choice, I used coconut oil, and spread out the granola mixture.  Press down firmly to make sure everything sticks together.

Then, refrigerate until cold and firm.  Once chilled, cut into granola bars!

I made these into 12 larger bars, but they could easily make 18 squares.  I wrapped them individually in syran wrap for easy grab-and-go.  Does anyone have other recommendations instead of syran wrap for storage??

Each bar (if you cut them into 12 bars) has about 270 calories, if I typed the ingredients correctly into FitDay!  The bars are on the denser side, but that is how I wanted them.  More of a small meal than a snack and great to eat 1/2 at a time before and/or after a workout.

I’ll try one out before my run tonight!

Filed under: Recipes | Tagged: granola bars, oatmeal, Recipes |