Granola Bars...sort of...

This post started with a huge hawl from the Bulk Barn.

I had grabbed all of my favorite items, along with a few new treats.

The Bulk Barn is a favorite destination for the kids as well as myself.

I was mentioning my trail mix on my facebook page for this blog...

...when somebody mentioned GRANOLA BARS.

I have never made granola bars, but thought I'm confident enough to make those things! 

(I'd only been talking about doing it for years...just never gotten around to it.)

I got all of the ingredients out (grabbed a recipe of allrecipes.com) and started to work...

Turns out I didn't have any granola though....but why would I let that stop me?

Here's what I used:

2 cups flour (gluten free if you want to!)

1 1/2 cups hulled hemp seeds (a perfect and natural blend of easily digested proteins, essential fats (Omega 3 & 6), amino acids, fiber, iron, vitamins, calcium and enzymes.)

1/2 cup slivered almonds (rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic and palmitoleic acids that help to lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and a good source of vitamin E)

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (good protein and amino acids!)

1/2 cup walnut pieces (walnuts have highest levels of popyphenolic antioxidants than any other common edible nuts.)

1 cup golden raisins (have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, blood cholesterol lowering activities)

2 tbsps whole flax seeds (numerous health-benefiting nutrients, dietary fiber, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins)

 1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup liquid local honey (The vitamins are B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and certain amino acids. The minerals are calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc.)

2/3 cups butter, softened

1/3 cup packed brown or yellow sugar

(all nutrional facts and info derived from http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/ and http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/)

Mix all of the dry ingredients then pour on the wet (or moist) ingredients.

Moisten the whole mixture evenly, then spoon into a baking dish.

Baking dish should be sprayed or lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 mins or until golden brown.

Let sit for 20 mins or if you want fast results...put baking dish in the fridge for 10 mins or freezer for 5 mins.

Cut into squares and serve or wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper and place in ziploc bags for healthy, high protein snacks on the go.

EASY!

ENJOY!!! 

Although you can't always confirm that the items at the Bulk Barn have a small carbon footprint...you'll be skipping the preservatives in commercially processed foods.  (Meaning you'll be able to pronounce everything that went into your food)