Chewy (No-Bake) Granola Bars

I was on a quest to find healthy snacks/treats to pack in my kids' school lunches.  We love granola bars at this house, and we used to buy huge boxes of Quaker Chewy Granola Bars.  But then I got on a kick to make as many things "homemade" as I could to avoid all the added junk that goes into packaged foods (you know, all the ingredients and preservatives that you can't pronounce).  So, I started searching for recipes.  I love the no-bake recipe from Krafrecipes.  It's simple and oh so yummy!  I have made a change in the recipe that my family seems to enjoy even more.  Instead of using plain oatmeal, I have used a combination of granola and plain oatmeal.  I make these almost on a weekly basis, because they just don't last long! 

Chewy (No-Bake) Granola Bars

I keep these granola bars stored in the freezer (originally so they would keep for a while--but that is never an issue!).  I still keep them in the freezer in the hopes that it will deter us from eating them so fast--because it takes more effort to get them out of the freezer.  I then pack them into lunchboxes in the morning. They thaw in no time, and my kiddos thank me every time they find one in their lunches.



Chewy (No-Bake) Granola Bars
(adapted from kraftrecipes.com) 

2 cups crisp rice cereal
1-1/2 cups granola (I make my own applesauce granola)
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup nuts (I use a combination of sliced almonds and chopped pecans)
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips ( I reserve about 1/8 cup to put on top)
3/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
*Note: If I don't have any granola, I replace the granola with the same amount of old-fashioned oats, giving you a total of 2 cups of oats in the recipe.  It still works well!

Start by lining a 13 x 9 inch pan with foil. I was out of foil, so I used  waxed paper.  It worked fine also.  In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients.  Stir well to evenly combine everything.

Next, in a separate microwaveable bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey, and brown sugar.  Microwave on high for one minute and stir. 

Pour the mixture into the cereal ingredients and stir well to coat the dry ingredients.  

 

Press onto the bottom of prepared pan.  Press well so that the bars will "stick" together.  Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips evenly over the top and press into the mixture.

Allow the bars to cool for 30 minutes (I actually put mine into the freezer for 15 minutes).  Then they are ready to cut into bars.  

I like to cut mine in half horizontally first.  Then I make 10 vertical cuts and get 20 bars (roughly the same size as the store bought versions.