"No Bake" Granola Bars

"No Bake" Granola Bars

2 c. rolled oats (not quick cook)

1 c. crispy rice cereal (brown rice if you can find it)

1/2 c. unsweetened coconut

1/4 c. flaxseed meal

1/2 c. chocolate chips

1/4-1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

If you use nuts, you might need to add a little extra syrup

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. brown rice syrup

(If you can't find brown rice syrup, substitute honey or brown sugar)

1/4 c. coconut oil

1 t. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Melt wet ingredients in a pan over medium heat or melt in a glass bowl in microwave for about 30 seconds.  Pour the wet ingredients over the dry mix.  Mix well.  If you don't want your chocolate chips to melt, save them until after it is mixed and in the pan, then sprinkle with chocolate chips and push into mixture.  

Once mixture is coated evenly, push into a 8x8 or 9x9 pan that is sprayed or rubbed with coconut oil.  Let set in refrigerator for 2-3 hours so they will harden into bars without crumbling. 

Once set, cut into bars or square.  I like to keep mine in the refrigerator because they last longer and they don't fall apart as easily.  Just cover them or put them in an air tight plastic container. 

Enjoy your healthy snack :)  Your kids will love them too!

(You can see in the picture, the bars on the bottom had the chocolate chips in the dry mix when I poured the hot mix over the top, so the chocolate is more melted.  The bars on the top of the picture are how they look if you add the chocolate chips afterwards just on top of the bars.  Just make sure to push them down hard into the mix or they will pop off after they cool)