Homemade Granola Bars

I think we all have a rotation of five or six websites that we would consider our daily reads, those sites we check while digging into a bowl of Cheerios in the morning or clicking through in the evening right after baby goes to bed – or both. What are you favorites? I love hearing about the “favorites” of others, whether it’s food, books, websites, or MST3K episodes. My dailies change on occasion, here are my top five lately:

Facebook - a time suck if there ever was one, but I’m hooked in

NPR – if I weren’t already married, I’d propose to Carrie Brownstein. She’s so cool.

NYTimes – oh no, is my liberal side peeking out? Don’t worry; a North Dakota liberal is a moderate everywhere else. After all, we own guns.

Jezebel – girl power and snarky pop culture commentary; an indulgence custom-made for me if there ever was one

In Praise of Leftovers - my favorite food blog, and I don’t just say this because Sara occasionally graces me with her presence (Hi Sara). It’s a little like my blog, but cranked up to eleven.


We’re similar in our cooking style and even lifestyle, but her recipes are more creative, her photos are great, and her writing reminds me of...hmm, maybe a spontaneous Barbara Kingsolver: calm, fluid, even poetic, yet down-to-earth and easily accessible.

Ok, now I’ve put IPOL on this pedestal, but humor me here. The best part is Sara’s positivity. I mean, check out this post. Doesn’t it just make you smile? I find myself trying to be more positive here because of her. And then maybe someone reading me has a little brighter outlook. And then it trickles down to their family, co-workers, and acquaintances. It’s scientifically proven that happiness is contagious, you know.

Speaking of happiness, I’ve wanted to make granola bars forever. Every time I buy another box of Quaker Chewys, noting the ridiculously long list of unrecognizable ingredients, I think of how I’ve been meaning to try making my own. Then IPOL posted this granola bar recipe. Yes please!

I couldn't help but compare my gorgeous little granola bars with the supermarket ones. Which would you rather?

Guess which one I picked...


Homemade Granola Bars
I made major changes from the original recipe to use what I had on hand, but it still worked great. Be sure to check out the original recipe on IPOL, but don't be afraid to improvise on this: it's a granola bar, it can take it.

1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 c. chopped peanuts
1/4 c. raw sunflower seeds
2 Tb. sesame seeds
1 c. flaked cereal, like raisin bran
1/4 c. flaked coconut
1 c. dates, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt

Lightly oil an 8″square pan.

Preheat oven to 350. Spread oats, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds on a large, rimmed baking sheet and toast until everything is lightly browned and fragrant, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add cereal, coconut, and dates, toss to combine.

Combine peanut butter, sugar, honey, vanilla, and salt in small saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently, until the mixture bubbles slightly, about 5 minutes.

Immediately pour the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon until no dry spots remain (I used my hands too, but be careful of the hot pb mixture). Transfer to the prepared pan. Lightly oil your hands and press the mixture down firmly to make an even layer. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut into bars and enjoy!