Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

These Healthy Homemade Granola Bars are super crunchy, packed with protein and are vegan, grain-free and gluten-free. They’re more like candy bars actually which, in my opinion, is awesome!

Anyone ever had one of those ‘Eat Natural’ bars before and expected it to be super crunchy and a bit more delicious than it actually is?! Same here.  Well ironically enough, I tried to mimic them, BUT with the added crunch factor and it worked- bloody delicious they are! The quinoa pops really throw in a bit of crisp if the crunch just isn’t enough.

Questions about Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

How to make Healthy Homemade Granola Bars? To make Healthy Homemade Granola Bars combine cranberries, cashews, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, quinoa pops (optional), poppy seeds and coconut chips (optional). Mix well and leave aside. In a saucepan, heat maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil and vanilla extract until bubbling and sugar has dissolved – allow to bubble for 5-10 minutes. Lay out greaseproof paper on a surface or flat baking tray. Fold the syrup into the nut mixture and work quickly as the syrup will start to set, and pour on to the greaseproof paper. Allow to harden at room temperature – around 1 hour for it to fully set. Break or cut when solid.

Is granola good for you? Granola is a nourishing breakfast or snack, but is not necessarily low in calories due to its nut and sugar content. It usually consists of oats as part of the mix, but this recipe is grain-free and contains just nuts, seeds and fruit.

Granola flavour combinations Granola combinations I love are chocolate and hazelnut, cinnamon and apple, pecan and maple syrup, coconut and blueberry.

What to do with granola? Granola can be sprinkled on top of smoothies, porridge, overnight oats, yoghurt and shakes. It’s a great breakfast and works well as a snack too. The protein content also makes it an ideal snack after the gym.

Granola Bar Substitutions

The nuts and seeds used can be replaced by any of your preference. I particularly like pecans, almonds, hazelnuts and chia seeds.

Coconut sugar can be replaced with brown sugar.

Cranberries can be replaced or used in addition to other dried fruits. I really like juicy sultanas, freeze-dried strawberries, dried sour cherries and dried mango.

These Healthy Homemade Granola Bars are…

• Crunchy
• Nutty
• Packed with protein
• Gluten-free
• Vegan
• Plant-based
• Made with 9 ingredients

Serving size:

Makes 12 bars

Ingredients for healthy granola bars:

• 60g cranberries/raisins
• 100g cashews
• 100g walnuts
• 100g pumpkin seeds
• 50g popped/puffed quinoa (optional)
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 2 tbsp dessicated coconut (optional)
• 100ml maple syrup
• 4tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp melted coconut oil

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients (except sugar) and leave aside.
2. In a saucepan, heat the sugar, syrup, oil and vanilla extract, bringing to the boil and allowing to bubble for at least 5-10 minutes.
3. Quickly fold into the nut mixture before laying out on a tray lined with greaseproof paper.
4. Allow to cool to room temperature and harden.

Made this Recipe?

If you had a go at these granola bars please feel free to give me a shout on Instagram at @food_flaneur  – would love to see your pics!

If you like granola bars…

You should definitely give these recipes a try:

Homemade Granola

Homemade Granola Bars

Coffee Granola

Peanut Butter Protein Bars

Chocolate Coconut Bars

Big Thanks to…

Gimme Some Oven for their inspiration in helping me to create this recipe. You can find their version here.

Recipes sent with Love