Yummy Granola Bars With Peanut Butter

Look out, there’s a granola bar about ! This one has peanut butter as a key ingredient but I also believe you will not be disappointed if another nut butter was used instead. One thing – no baking is needed for these granola bars ! It’s also a recipe that uses common enough ingredients with a good offering of proteins and of course is naturally gluten-free.

Most of us know that granola bars are healthy for us, right ? 

If you are looking for something a bit different for the lunch box then what could be more delicious than a granola bar which also has some awesome health powers too !

The idea behind this peanut butter granola bar came from checking out a number of online features about the goodness of peanut butter. Normally the articles on this web-site are a bit sciency but the gaffer asked me to write a recipe based on my own culinary experiences.

Most health bars are not straightforward to make and require a bit of cooking. Think this one is a bit retro because it also includes the chocolate chip bits which used to be such a feature of the old recipes. It took me a little time to check out the recipe using our oven kit but here are the results of what I think will be a winner with you.

The peanut butter granola bar needs the following:-

Ingredients:

A good quality peanut butter (1/2 to 3/4 cup) – I know natural almond butter is possible and I guess it would be an almond butter granola bar. If that is the case then do not worry  as it lends a slightly less fatty feel to the bar – still delicious mind you.

• Coconut oil for keeping all the other ingredients ‘in situ’ as it were. Some granola bars use palm oil but I don’t believe that is environmentally friendly. I would take enough coconut oil (2 teaspoons to begin with and then add more in step 1 to just get a paste going). 
• Almonds (1 cup)  – there is a feeling with other recipes that slivered almond pieces work best and you know what they are right. I did try ground almond as an experiment but it doesn’t deliver on flavour or texture in this product.
• Oats (1 cup – whatever seems suitable)- where would we be without this ingredient. It also adds some fiber and if you can get 6 grams into each bar that would be a claimable level too.
• Honey (1tbsp – 1/2 cup). For a vegan recipe, use the equivalent of maple syrup !
• Vanilla flavour or better still, the extract or even some from the pod itself.
• Salt (Maldon sea salt or Himalayan salt is ideal). Use a pinch which is about 1/2 tsp.
• Chocolate chips (1/2 to 2/3 cup). You can get different sorts, some of which are based on bitter chocolate only. I think these will work whatever the type. We even tried the milk chocolate chips and they add a difference.

It is worth saying at this point that the amounts can be varied. The oat level can certainly be adjusted to suit texture and whether you want a more oaty flavour.

Preparation Of Granola Bars:

1. Heat the peanut butter, coconut oil and honey together. This is critical to success because the combination sets the scene for the rest of bar. Add all three ingredients together in a non-stick saucepan. Heat on medium to produce a slow and low boil or simmer. keep stirring to blend all the ingredients together.
2. Maintain the simmer for about 1.5 minutes and make sure the bottom is scraped. Use a wooden spoon because the peanut butter could burn if the heat is to high. If you start to see brown bits in the bottom of the saucepan just take off the heat and keep stirring to spread the heat about.
3. Take the pan off the heat. Most important if you want to avoid burn !
4. Add the flavours (vanilla) and salt and thoroughly mix in.
5. Add all the other ingredients. Add everything else save for the chocolate chips which need to go in last otherwise they will melt. If you were looking for chocolate streaks through out than carry on heating. The mixture is ready for the next part which is the creation of the granola bar.
6. Leave to cool in the fridge for up to 30 minutes. You can also add the chocolate chips at this point as well.
7. Take the mixture and press it into a baking tray. If you have an 8 by 8 inch tray then that will do just find. Line it with parchment paper. You need to press the granola well into the tray and as evenly as possible. I use a wooden spoon or a plastic cup or even a ceramic mug just to mould it all in. The mug works really well.
8. Refrigerate. The bars should chill right down and then ready for cutting.
9. Cut these beauties. By lifting the parchment from the baking tray, transfer the granola bar slab to a wooden board for cutting. Some people prefer plastic for food hygiene reasons but there is no reason why a wooden one will not do. 
10. Cut the bars according to design and shape. Long and thin is best.
11. Chill. The granola bars are better served slightly cooler. They will soften with heat in the room but if you have them mixed well enough, they should readily hold together.