Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

I have been making these granola bars for my kid's lunches.  I make them into a 9x13 pan, cut them into about 24 bars, put them into individual baggies and put them in the freezer.  I always pack lunches the night before.  The frozen granola bar is thawed in plenty of time for lunch.  They actually thaw in about 10 minutes.  Sometimes, I put some out before I run out to pick up the kids and they are thawed in time for lunch.  My kids love these granola bars.  I think they have less sugar and far less additives than the grocery store varieties.  Enjoy!!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Adapted from Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars {CopycatQuaker} at Lovely Little Kitchen

4 c old fashioned oats* 

½ c unsalted butter

1/2 c brown sugar, packed

2/3 c honey

1 t vanilla* 

4 cups puffed rice cereal* 

1/2 c mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350^o.  Spread out the old fashioned oats on a baking sheet.  Toast the oats in the preheated oven for 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant to enhance the flavor. 

Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.  Using the parchment paper will make them easier to remove and cut into bars later. 

In a sauce pan, melt butter, brown sugar, and honey over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.  Bring to a slight simmer for a 1-2 minutes.   Remove from heat, cooling slightly.  Then mix in vanilla.  In a large bowl, combine the toasted oats and puffed rice cereal.  Pour the slightly cooled honey mixture over the oat mixture, stirring to coat.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing firmly.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips and press into granola slightly.  Chill for about one hour prior to cutting.  Put each cut granola bars into individual small baggies.  Put the individual bags into a large freezer bag and freeze until ready to use.  Set out for about 10 minutes before eating. 

*Gluten-free notes:

– Oats are often processed on the same equipment as wheat and other gluten.  You can buy certified gluten-free oats. 

– Vanilla can contain gluten.  I use McCormick pure vanilla extract.

– Rice Krispie has a gluten-free option, as do some other brands.

Applesauce Muffins

I have been feeling a little frustrated with school lunches.  My kids typically take about 45 minutes to eat a meal.  At school, they get 20 minutes.  Therefore, they don't typically eat enough for lunch.  So, I have been trying to pack things that they can eat quickly, while giving them some much needed energy!

I store these muffins in the freezer to pack in lunches.  If you pack the muffin frozen, it is thawed well before lunch time.  With the muffin, I pack a Greek yogurt stick, fruit and veggies.  The muffins are made with unsweetened applesauce and honey to keep the sugar lower than most muffin recipes but they are still sweet enough to keep the kids interested in them.  They also have some oat and whole wheat flour to give a little fiber boost in their meal.  I hope your kids like them as much as mine do!

If you like this recipe, you may also like Applesauce Spice Cake (EF, DF).

Applesauce Muffins

½ c old fashioned oats, blended

½ c whole wheat flour

½ c all-purpose flour

½ c honey

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

½ t salt

¼ c vegetable oil

¼ c milk or non-dairy milk

1 c unsweetened applesauce

1 t cinnamon

1 t vanilla extract

Measure ½ c oats and blend in a blender or food processor until a course powder and set aside.  Be sure to measure the oats before blending them.  Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, blend applesauce, oil, milk and vanilla mixing until combined.  Slowing add in the dry ingredients, while mixing the batter.  Spoon batter evenly into 12 greased muffin tins.  Bake at 375^o for about 16 minutes.  Cool in muffin tins. 

Makes 12 muffins

Honey Wheat Cornbread {Egg-free, Dairy-free}

Cornbread is a favorite at my house, especially during the cooler Fall and Winter months.  In my attempt to make our favorite Cornbread (EF, DF) recipe a little bit healthier, I replaced the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour and the sugar with honey.  My kids didn't even really seem to notice!  Yay!

If you like this recipe, you may also like Honey Wheat Pancakes (EF).

UPDATE (01/21/15):  Most people may consider winter time to be 'soup season'.  My oldest child thinks of it as 'cornbread season'.  The best part of having chili or soup for dinner is that Mom makes cornbread!  So, needless to say, I have been making this recipe frequently!  I have found adding one extra tablespoon of milk to the batter helps quite a bit with consistency.  Also, the wheat flour version also doesn't need to cook quite as long.  I always take it out at right about 20 minutes.  I have noted these changes below.  Enjoy!

Honey Wheat Cornbread

1 c whole wheat flour

1 c cornmeal

¼ c honey

1 T baking powder

¼ t salt

1 c + 1 T milk or non-dairy substitute

1/3 c vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425°.  Grease bottom of an 8”x8” square baking pan.  Stir together all ingredients, except for baking powder, until mixed through.  Add baking powder last, mixing until incorporated.  Immediately, pour into prepared pan and bake at 425° for about 20 minutes or until edges brown and top is golden.  Let cool slightly in pan for at least 5 minute prior to cutting.  

Serves 8-9

Note:  If the batter is left to sit for a few minutes, the baking powder starts to rise and makes the batter lumpy.  Adding the baking powder last and baking immediately, keeps the batter and baked cornbread nice and smooth in appearance. 

Honey Wheat Pancakes {Egg-free}

Don't most of us start off the new year wanting to be healthier?  Well, I am trying to do that this year.  One way I am doing that is by modifying some of the recipes I make frequently.  Here is the same Pancake (EF) recipe I have been making for years.  I replaced half of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour.  I also replaced the sugar with honey.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much my family liked them.  My kids didn't even seem to notice that they were different.

Maybe that is because I also made most of them with mini chocolate chips!  Before you balk at my adding chocolate to my supposedly healthier pancakes, hear me out.  We normally eat our pancakes with pure maple syrup.  If you use one tablespoon of syrup for two pancakes, that is whopping 100 calories.  But if you use one teaspoon of chocolate chips for two pancakes, that is only 25 calories.  And with chocolate chips in your pancakes, who needs syrup?  It is amazing how a little bit of chocolate can add a lot of rich flavor!

If you like this recipe, you may also like Honey Wheat Cornbread (EF, DF).

 We had our pancakes with fruit and turkey sausage. 

Honey Wheat Pancakes (EF)

1 c whole-wheat flour

1 c all-purpose flour

2 T honey

1 T baking powder

½ t salt

1/3 c cooking oil

2 c skim¹ milk

½ c mini chocolate chips (optional)

Mix together both flours, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Gradually add milk and oil, while blending on low.  Then mix on medium speed until blended through.  Using a large spoon or muffin scoop, pour batter onto a nonstick griddle² heated to medium-low to medium heat.  Cook on first side until air bubbles come to the surface and edges start to appear dry.  Flip and cook on the other side until golden.

Honey Wheat Pancakes w/ Chocolate Chips (EF)

Mix batter as described above.  Using a large spoon or muffin scoop, pour batter onto a nonstick griddle heated to medium-low to medium heat.  Sprinkle each pancake with about ½ teaspoon of chocolate chips.  Cook on first side until air bubbles come to the surface and edges start to appear dry.  Flip and cook on the other side until golden.

Makes about 20 3 inch pancakes.

Notes:

¹  If I don’t specify on what kind of milk then that means I think it doesn’t matter which kind you use.  In this recipe, I think skim milk works the best.  The thicker higher fat milks seem to not cook as well and the inside of the pancake doesn’t get cooked all the way.

² I don’t have many nonstick pans but I do have a nice nonstick griddle.  I think it is a must for pancakes.  If you don’t have one, these will likely stick to your pan.

 Honey Wheat Pancakes without and with chocolate chips.