granola bar bits & pieces

Granola bars are a quick and easy thing to put together at home, and bits & pieces is even easier. With a little more oats and nuts, and a little less nut butter and honey – the dry slightly outweighs the wet resulting in a packed pan that comes away easily in bits & pieces, rather than hunks and chunks. When what you want is the granola bar experience without having to consume loads of calories, look no further – you can enjoy as much, or as little as you wish! If you’d like to be able to cut them into bars – up the nut butter, honey and brown sugar by another quarter cup of each. Either way, bits & pieces or hunks & chunks – you’ll know exactly what’s in it.

This is essentially a no-bake recipe, I do think it’s a tasty touch however, to toast the oats fending off the rawness, to bring on a little cookie concept. So do yourself a favour, bypass the calorie-laden options at the grocery store and put together a little granola bar action in your very own kitchen – it’s granola bars deconstructed!

click here to jump down to the granola bar bits & pieces recipe

1. Line a baking pan with foil and set aside.

2. Put the oats, nuts & seeds in a bowl.

3. Measure the vegetable oil.

4. Add it to the oats and nuts.

5. Mix to thoroughly combine.

6. Get it on a baking sheet.

7. Spread it out in an even layer to toast.

8. Roasty, toasty – gettin’ that oatmeal cookie thang goin’ on!

9. Put the toasted oat mixture in a large bowl.

10. Put the remaining ingredients in a pot and set over medium heat, do this while your oats are toasting.

11. Stir until it’s melted and mixed together.

12. Almost there.

13. Pour the nut butter mixture over the oats.

14. Stir to mix well. The back of a large spoon or spatula works well as the mixture will be stiff-ish.

15. Pour the mixture on the foil-lined pan.

16. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and using your hands and a rolling pin, pack the mixture down firmly.

17. Just like this.

18. Replace the plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, this will take a few hours.

19. It will come away in bits & pieces, chunks & crumbles.

20. Pieces …

21. And bits.

22. Store in a sealed container and nibble on at your leisure.

Preheat the oven to 375° 1. Line a baking pan with foil and set aside. 2. Put the following in a bowl, mix well and spread the mixture on a baking pan, toast in the oven until golden, 20-30 minutes, stirring halfway through:

3 cups rolled oats
2 cups seeds & nuts, chopped – pecans, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin, sunflower, chia, flax seeds
2 tbsps. vegetable oil

3. Meanwhile, put the following in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until thoroughly combined:

3/4 cup nut butter – peanut, almond, cashew, hazelnut
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey, agave or maple syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

4. Pile the toasted oats & nuts into a large bowl, add the melted nut butter mixture and mix thoroughly. 5. Press the oat mixture into the pan spreading in an even layer with the help of a large piece of plastic wrap, your hands and a rolling pin. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. 6. Break into bits & pieces and store in a sealed container. This will keep 2 weeks in the refrigerator, but it sure won’t last that long!