Homemade Granola Bars

I made homemade granola bars last week. They're phenomenal! I very loosely followed this recipe. I'll share mine with a warning label: they had a laxative effect on our 15 month-old son after eating just one.

Ingredients:

2 cups quick oats (the store didn't have rolled or I'd have used those)
3/4 cups packed light brown sugar (you can use dark also)
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup milled flax seed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup flour (use whole wheat if you want, doesn't matter)
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup 60% Cacao chocolate chips (I used Ghiradeli - use chopped or not, however you like)
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup coconut oil (can use butter or applesauce as well)
2 tsp Vanilla (I forgot and they still tasted wonderful)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix wet ingredients is large mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing well. Place parchment paper in a 9 x 13" baking pan. Place ingredients on the parchment, pressing firmly into the pan. Once you have the unbaked granola in the pan evenly and firmly, place in oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. The edges will be golden brown when done. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes and remove granola using the parchment to allow the granola to cool apart from the pan. When cool, place back in baking pan and cut into bars. Enjoy!

I'd only eat one per day. Michael ate two and was just fine. Our boys ages 6 and 5 ate just one per day and were fine. Our 15 month-old can't eat a whole one or has diarrhea all day.