The Wimpy Vegetarian

Whole Foods + Vegetarian + Meal Plans

Granola Bars

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Easy granola bars of oats, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, peanut butter, coconut oil, honey and pomegranate molasses.

Granola bars : The Wimpy Vegetarian

I've been trying for awhile now to make granola bars, and these might be the easiest ones I've ever made. I don't know about you, but I find that the biggest challenge in making granola bars is getting them to stick together without loading up on syrups or fats that act as the glue. I've been reading some disturbing articles lately on the effects of sugar, and am determined this year to cut waaaay back.

We've all read that sugar is increasingly pointed to as the major culprit behind the country’s exploding obesity rates in both children and adults, and surging rates of childhood diabetes. Some scientists go so far as to say that sugar has poisoned our food supply, and labels it an environmental toxin that's altering our biology, compelling us to eat more and move less. Specifically, scientists have used imaging tests to show for the first time that fructose triggers brain changes that prevent signals being sent to the body letting us know that we're full. Without that feedback loop, we overeat. More experiments are being run, but I can tell you from personal experience I can eat an extra-large Milky Way bar, and want a second one immediately almost more than I wanted the first one. Especially the dark chocolate kind. Only guilt halts my feeding frenzy.

So why don't we just stop? It's not like we haven't known that sugar, or at least too much of it, is a bad thing. Turns out, it's not that easy. (Duh…) Tests have proven now that sugar consumption is similar to nicotine or alcohol addiction; kicking the sugar habit is extremely difficult. So several months ago, I started to shift my sugars, hoping this would be a step in the right direction, and not just rearranging the chairs on the Titanic.

I substituted coconut palm sugar for brown sugar. Instead of white processed sugar, I shifted to agave. Then I read disturbing information on agave suggesting the labels should bear a skull and crossbones, and I moved to coconut nectar and honey. Truth is, it's hard to know the right thing to be eating. It's a moving target with new information emerging every week, and frankly I don't really understand all the ins and outs of sucrose, glucose, and fructose, other than the fact that they're naturally occurring in most fruits, vegetables and whole grains – all components of a reasonably well-balanced diet.

So over the next few months, I'm taking on a project to figure this out as best I, or any of us, can. Along the way, I'll share recipes I develop to help me shift my eating while continuing the mostly vegetarian focus. For the month of January, I'm going to start with root vegetables since they naturally have glucose. And there are so many fresh root vegetables to choose from in the store right now, it feels like a good place to begin. That's what's ahead for this month, and I hope you'll join me.

Granola whole : the Wimpy Vegetarian

Meanwhile, this granola features a healthy combination of oats, sunflower kernels, pumpkin seeds, and pine nuts. The fat part of the glue that holds them together is peanut butter and coconut oil. The syrup is a combination of honey and pomegranate molasses. And I threw in some chocolate chips because it just sounded like a good idea. Chocolate is not all bad, after all, particularly if the chocolate is at least 70% cocoa content.

A Few Cooking Notes:

The secret to them holding together well is to keep them individually wrapped in the refrigerator. At room temp they begin to crumble.

If you're making them at higher altitudes, like 7000+ feet above sea level, you may need a little more glue to offset the dryness of the air.

I found that the best way to press them together before putting them into the refrigerator is to lay parchment paper on top of them, and press gently down with your hands.

Granola bars : The Wimpy Vegetarian
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Granola Bars

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time25 mins
Servings: 15 bars

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup roasted sunflower kernels
  • 1 cup pine nuts
  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 3 cups rice crispies
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup dried apricots sliced thinly
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the oats, sunflower kernels, pine nuts, and pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Combine with the rice crispies, chocolate chips and dried fruit pieces. Toss together and place back on the baking sheet.
  • In a small pot, combine the peanut butter, coconut oil, honey and pomegranate molasses and melt together. Stir to completely mix. Don't bring to a boil. Stir in the salt and cinnamon.
  • Pour over the dried mixture and toss together to thoroughly coat.
  • Place in the parchment lined baking dish. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top and press gently to press the granola pieces together without breaking up the rice crispies.
  • Place in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Cut into pieces and serve.
  • Wrap any uneaten pieces in plastic and keep in the refrigerator until ready for a healthy snack.

Notes

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Comments

  1. apuginthekitchen says

    The bars look wonderful, it really is a challenge to get them to stick together without all that sugar. I share the same goal this year, cutting down (out??) processed sugars although I still plan on baking but hope to cut down dramatically. I have to go on a diet and part of my plan is to cut sugar out almost completely. I did it before and lost a ton of weight and felt so much better. I really look forward to your recipes and further research on this.

    Reply

  2. Shelby | Diabetic Foodie says

    Sounds like we’re reading the same research. Like you, my husband and I tried switching from sugar to agave and then learned a lot of negative stuff about agave. It’s hard to eat “healthy” when the definition keeps changing!

    Reply

  3. Renee says

    I eat a granola bar every afternoon for a snack. I’m so tired of the ones I get at the store (organic) and have been wanting to make them at home. Your recipe has all the fruits and flavors I want in a granola bar. Thanks for sharing it.

    Reply

  4. Susan says

    Thanks for all the great granola bar tips! Mine always fall apart! I’ve been meaning to give them a try again. Homemade is definitely always better.

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian says

      I’ve found that it’s a work in progress figuring out the balance between the syrup and fat and getting them to hold together. I was trying to lower the amount of syrup and fat as much as possible. If you have any trouble with this recipe, just add more peanut butter or honey! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply

  5. lapadia says

    Love your granola recipe and I share your thoughts re: sugar, the New Year is a great time to make changes. 🙂 PS-did you get my message via F52? There isn’t a way to check what I sent from there, I’m hoping I didn’t leave you out.

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian says

      I’m really going to try to make this one change this year, Linda. I know I’m going to have some processed sugar, it’s not realistic (yet) to eliminate it, but if I can cut back by at least 50%, and switch away from processed to other sugars for a lot of the rest, I’ll have made some progress. And yes, I got your note. I totally understand, and we’ll just have to make sure we stay in touch through our blogs and food!

      Reply

  7. Paula @ Vintage Kitchen says

    I´ve been reading similar articles and it is an eye opener. One way to bind or clump granola is to add egg whites beaten until foamy. I make so much granole, beats me why I never made bars… this is a great recipe Susan!

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian says

      What a great idea, Paula! Thanks so much for the tip. I’m going to try that on a baked version. I still crave something sweet in the afternoon, and granola bars that are healthy are great to have around.

      Reply

  10. kelly @ kellybakes says

    So glad you posted these! Every time I try to make granola bars, they fall apart, so I end up just eating them as plain old granola. I’m going to have to try your tip of individually wrapping and keeping in the fridge!

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian says

      That’s the problem I’ve had too. Next I’m going to try a baked version using egg whites as a binder as recommended by paula@thevintagekitchen. But now, even if it doesn’t work, I’ve got a go-to granola recipe anyway!

      Reply

  11. sunithi says

    Totally get how your’e feel. Have my reservations about agave too. I use stevia in my smoothies, shakes & teas but can’t cook with it. So I use raw honey, raw brown sugar and have been toying with the idea of using coconut sugar. So far what’e been said about it seems good. I love this recipe. Full of natural goodness and fruit. Been on my bucket list too. i may try these 🙂 ! Love the addition of pomegranate molasses ! Looking forward to your recipes on your project !

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian says

      I’ve fallen in love with coconut palm sugar, sunithi, and it’s my new go-to granular sugar for just about anything if I’m not using honey. I’ve also been using coconut nectar and am researching info on it. So much to figure out 🙂

      Reply

        • The Wimpy Vegetarian says

          It’s possible you’ll see coconut sugar and coconut palm sugar which is a little like having two granulated sugars: beet and cane. They may come from different palm tree types, but the sugar will be essentially the same. Once Dr. Oz touted coconut sugar as being a much better option, there are suddenly a lot more coconut sugars to choose from 🙂

          Reply

  14. Wendy Read says

    Your recipe looks really good Susan 🙂 I would love to try your recipe, I, too, am looking to cut way down on my sugar intake this year and I love pomegranite molasses–I have some in my cabinet right now….Great photos too!

    Reply

  15. Katy says

    Finally, a recipe for granola bars that actually looks healthy and doesn’t involve masses of sugar! Thank you so much for sharing it!

    Reply

  17. Mary @ Fit and Fed says

    I haven’t tackled granola bars yet, though I’d like to. You can read and read and still have questions about nutritional topics like sugar: as you say, fruits and vegetables can have a lot of sugar and yet we all know that they are part of a healthy diet. One thing that I wonder if these studies have adequately addressed is fiber: the sugar in a fruit that has lots of good natural fiber is absorbed much more slowly than, say, the sugar in a soda. That’s much easier on our system, and by the time we eat, say, an apple, there’s time for the signal that we are full to be transmitted and get us to stop eating. Not true, as you note, with the candy bar.

    I doubt that agave deserves the hatchet job it’s gotten on the internet lately and I continue to use organic agave from time to time, just as I also use honey, coconut palm sugar, and maple syrup. I sometimes use blended dates to sweeten food, too. I like your idea of using more root vegetables to get a sweet taste in something that for sure is nutritionally sound.

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian says

      Hi Mary, I’ve been experimenting more with dates lately too. There are options out there, for sure. But they do take some experimenting with. You make an excellent point on the fiber, and the Glycemic index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) can shed light there. The GI compares carbs to each other based on how fast they’re broken down by our bodies. The faster the they get broken down, the higher the score, and the lower the fiber. GL weights the GI as an individual serving. Thanks so much for stopping by with your thoughtful comment!

      Reply

  20. Stacy says

    There is so much information out there about what is healthy and what is not, which is good. The problem is that healthy seems to be a moving target! Your granola bars look beautiful and tasty!

    Reply

  24. Annie @ Naturally Sweet Recipes says

    I am new to your site but love what I’ve found so far! You have some great recipes. These bars look absolutely delicious. What are sunflower kernels? Sunflower seeds? Can they be found at any natural foods store? I’ve never baked with them before! Thanks for sharing and I hope to try out some of your recipes soon!

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian says

      Thanks so much Annie! Welcome to my site! I can find sunflower kernels in most of my stores in the snacks section, but you would definitely find them at any natural foods store. They are the kernel that’s inside the whole seed. But you’d definitely want someone else to do all the shelling 🙂

      Reply

  25. Nancy @ gottagetbaked says

    Sigh…Susan, everything you wrote in this post I already know yet I still can’t shake my sugar addiction. Type II diabetes runs in my family and I’m always scared that I’m well on my way towards it. I crave sugar all the time, especially after meals, and I have no will power to stop myself from noshing on chocolate bars, donuts, cookies, etc. Even though I now bake most of the sweets I devour, it’s still way too much sugar to consume. I am definitely going to pay close attention to your blog in the next few months so that I can incorporate some of your healthy recipes into my diet, like this yummy granola bar recipe. Granola bars have been on my foodie bucket list for a long time so all these scary stats about sugar should kick my butt into making them instead of buying the processed crap!

    Reply

  34. Cass @foodmyfriend says

    These look like an amazing snack. I need something like this for when I finish up at the gym. I usually end up quite dizzy and need something to up my blood sugar levels. This would be quite similar to the protein balls they sell at the gym wouldn’t they? With the addition of protein powder maybe. Shelf life and best way to store?

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian says

      Thanks Cass! I’m willing to bet the protein bars have protein powder in them, and likely more nut butter or whatever they’re using for the glue to hold them together. I’ve tried to go as low as possible with that and still have them hold together. That’s why I need the refrigerator which hardens them slightly. Otherwise, the bars will easily break apart into a granola snack without the handy bar shape. I’m working now on creating one that can be baked, using egg whites as the binder so I won’t need to keep them refrigerated. As for shelf life, since I’m keeping them in the fridge, it’s not really an issue. On the counter, I’m not too concerned about them going bad either since none of the ingredients have much risk associated with them.

      Reply

      • Cass @foodmyfriend says

        I would love a recipe for the ‘bounce’ balls that they make in health food stores if you come up with something that is shelf stable. Something that wouldn’t mind sitting in my gym bag for a few days if need be! Thanks for the information. Can’t wait to try these!

        Reply

  35. Sarah says

    Home made granola bars are sooooo much better than any store bought. I always have an issue with my granola falling apart though. I’ll be trying your recipe!

    Reply

  36. Anjelica says

    I love this! I´ve been trying to find a good recipe for a long time and this almost matches everything i would want 🙂 However I am allergic to coconut so could i substitute that with some more peanut butter or something else? maybe just cut the coconut out all in all?

    Reply

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