Back-to-School Granola Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats (preferably not instant oats)
• 1 ½ cup crispy rice cereal
• 3 tbsp flour (gluten-free flour will work)
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup roughly chopped pecans
• ½ cup dried unsweetened coconut
• ½ cup dried cranberries or raisins
• ¼ cup chocolate chips for the top (optional)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup butter
• ¾ cup honey
• ¼ cup almond butter (or peanut butter)

Instructions

1. 1
   Place the oats, pumpkin seeds, and chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes in a 300F oven, stirring once or twice. Leave the oven on.
2. 2
   In a large bowl mix the crispy rice cereal, flour, coconut, cranberries, salt, and cinnamon. Add the toasted oats mixture and mix all together.
3. 3
   In a small saucepan, bring the honey and butter to a gentle boil on low heat. Simmer on low for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and add vanilla and almond butter.
4. 4
   Mix into the dry ingredients and incorporate completely.
5. 5
   Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan (or 8 x 8 inch pan if making half the recipe) with buttered parchment paper. Pour the mixture into the pan. If desired, sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Use buttered hands or an oiled spatula to press mixture firmly into pan.
6. 6
   Bake in 300F oven for 30 minutes, checking at 25 minutes as some ovens bake more quickly than others. Allow the bars to cool in the pan completely before cutting them.
7. 7
   When completely cool, remove the whole thing from pan by pulling the parchment paper at the ends.
8. 8
   Place parchment and bars on a cutting board and cut into slices. The bars will keep for several weeks and for longer in the fridge (or freezer).