I'm Not Crunchy Granola...Yet!

We eat a lot of granola in our house. The boys can go through a box of granola bars in no time flat! Because we've sworn off processed boxed food, I had to search out a good easy alternative to those HFCS, preservative and who knows what else loaded little packaged bars.

This recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Now, a quick warning...I really don't "measure" for my granola...I just dump until I have in what I want and it Always turns out good (each time it's a little different, but still equally as wonderful!).

1 1/2 rounded cups oats (I usually use regular, but have previously used quick oats and it's just fine)
1/4 cup sugar (we omit this...if you're a sweeter kind of person go by SK's suggestions and use 1/2 c)
1/2 cup oat flour (do not buy oat flour! put 1/2 cup oats in your coffee grinder and save $$$)
1/2 tsp salt
2 to 3 cups miscellaneous odds and ends from your pantry (I'll elaborate after each pic!)
1/2 cup Peanut butter (or other nut butter or omit completely)
1/4 cup honey
6 Tbs melted butter
1 Tbs water

Mix dry ingredients. Stir butter, honey, pb together (if you're using the pb, melt it in the microwave for a sec with the butter so it's easier to stir in) and water. Mix together everything so that it's evenly distributed. Spray a 9x13 with pam and bake 350 for 20-30 min (until its nice and golden brown, but watch for the edges to burn quickly!)

Peanut Butter version:(the pic is HORRIBLE...clouds and cell phone cams are not friends!)
The boys aren't really into dried fruit so this is our standard breakfast granola bar.
The 2-3 cups are made up of:
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 cup very finely chopped almonds
1/4 cup white chocolate chips (only because I was making them for a friend, but YUM!)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

If the boys weren't such peanut hogs, I probably would have added a 1/2 cup of peanuts in to it too!


My personal fave White Chocolate Cranberry: (this is what golden brown is supposed to look like!)

Never...Never...Never leave a warm pan of granola in reach of your kids.....especially if they are going to your wonderful friend Amber whose stuck holding an equally wonderful baby all day! (wish I had that same problem!...too bad they don't stay like that forever!)

2-3 cups are made up of: (I have no idea why it started double spacing, but grrrrr blogger!)

1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup flaxseed meal

1/4 cup finely chopped almonds

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup coconut

You seriously should make these....so easy...no excuses!