Backpacking Granola Bars

Before my backpacking trip, I made my own customized granola bars. I did this for several reasons:

1. Nature Valley bars bore me. They crumble and make my throat dry. Ugh. 
2. I like my bars sweet, but not Chewy brand sweet.
3. I really like apricots, cherries, and chocolate together, and I haven't found a solid bar that combines these without being cloyingly sweet.
4. Because I wanted them to break up into granola for later. They did.

Sweetened coconut for a substantial texture and much-needed sugar fix

Solid ingredients: Quaker oats, organic vanilla, freshly dried fruit

Apricots, cherry-flavored cranberries

First, you bake all the dry ingredients as if you were making granola

Lots of texture from pressing all the ingredients together and then baking.

Major Nomz: Cut these into squares and then pack in a freezer bag for transporting in your pack. Freeze at home for a healthy, go-to snack.

Backpack Granola Bars

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

2 cups of old-fashioned oatmeal

1 cup of nuts (I used pecans, but almonds, walnuts, pretty much anything is good)

1 cup shredded coconut (I prefer sweetened for this recipe)

1/2 cup of toasted wheat germ or all-purpose flour

1-2 tbsp butter (melted) or olive oil

2/3 cup honey

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup of dried fruit (assorted, use whatever you fancy)

1/2 cup of chocolate (more or less or even none, but make sure you adjust the dried fruit or nuts accordingly)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. 

2. Butter a baking dish (any size will do, though I used an 8"x8" and a 4"x8" to spread out the bars, but it depends how thick or thin you want the bars to be). Line with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

3. Toss the oatmeal, nuts, and coconut together with the butter or olive oil on a sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. This is like making a simple granola. 

4. Transfer this to a large bowl and mix in the wheat germ or flour, honey, salt, and the vanilla until well coated. Reduce the oven to 300F. 

5. Mix in the fruit and chocolate. Pour into the baking dish and PRESS really hard into the pan so everything sticks together. I used a rubber spatula for this. 

6. Bake 25-35 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Cool completely (2-3 hours) and then cut into squares.

Store these in the freezer until you want to eat them or carry them with you. If you lose parts of the bars while you're cutting them, just save the remains for granola over yogurt or something equally as delicious.

All ready to go!