Homemade Granola Bars

I found this recipe the other day on Rachael's blog. It looked yummy, and I've been looking for a good granola bar recipe. I like trying recipes that others have tried and like. So, Friday I gave it a try. We needed a good, non-crumbly snack to take with us to Nairobi National Park. And they were great!!

 Mixing it up.

 Before baking.

Just out of the oven.

I did make a few changes because of availability of ingredients here and our tastes. So, here's the original recipe with my changes in parenthesis.

Homemade Granola Bars

2 c. rolled oats (I used quick oats because that's what I had and I couldn't find rolled oats at the store.)

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. wheat germ

2-3 T. flax seed (I omitted this because I couldn't find it.)

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. whole wheat flour

3/4 c. dried fruit (I used chocolate chips. I'm not a big fan of dried fruit and it's really expensive here.)

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. honey

1 egg, beaten

1/2 c. oil

2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease a 9x13 pan. In a large bowl, mix oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, flax seed, cinnamon, flour, dried fruit, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in honey, egg, oil, and vanilla. Mix well, using your hands. (I didn't have to use my hands.) Pat mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the bars begin to brown at the edges. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Cut into bars while still warm.

I've already made our second batch and have more ingredients for them on my grocery list! This will definitely be a frequently used recipe in our home! Thanks, Rachael!