You would think by now I had run out of new granola bar recipes and it could definitely happen. There are only so many dried nuts and fruit out there and the binders must be limited too but so far I have never repeated one.
Adriano and Dario now expect to have the tins (Tupperware container, actually) full so they can stick their hungry hands in there whenever they want and find something to appease their appetites. Last week I made those granola bars filled with caramel and topped with chocolate. That was a mistake – they were all gobbled up by Wednesday because they were too delicious.
I was brought up on a farm where visitors were offered a cup of tea when they dropped by. But never just a cup of tea. The tins were always full on a farm and out would come something sweet to go with the tea. Biscuits, cakes, scones, buns. A cup of tea was never consumed in isolation – unheard of. You might wonder how we weren’t all as big as hippos, but calories are consumed at a much faster rate on a farm. Farmers have to replace them on a regular basis or they will fade away to nothing and we three children had acres and acres of land to run around on. Calories consumed had to be replaced and the best way was through baking. Unfortunately today we don’t do that much running, unless a rabid dog chases us down a dark alley and how often does that happen?
So why has baking had such a big resurgence recently? Why are all things natural and not store bought becoming so popular? It’s all to do with the economy. When times get tough and the reaching of our dreams fades into the distance, we hunker down and take comfort where we can. And that means baking and consuming large amounts of weight-inducing fats and sugars, just as if we were all farmers running after the sheep and cows, or thrashing at corn. But then we go to work and sit on our expanding arses all day. That equals trouble, trouble for our health and our self-esteem.
It’s all about balance. A little indulgence is essential for the soul so we eat something fat-laden and sweet and then we run a 4-minute mile. Yeah, right. My solution is to ride my go-nowhere bike for ½ an hour five times a week but even that only allows me a small piece of my decadent Saturday baking.
So, when I bake on Sundays, it has to be healthy. It has to be full of nuts, dried fruit and all things health-building. That way when I have my morning teas at work, while I am sitting on my arse, I know I am creating a balance while I nibble at my home-made granola bar. The biking balances the Saturday baking and the Sunday baking satisfies my need for something with my cup of tea, a throw back from my growing up days on the farm.
I adapted this recipe from one I found on Roxanna’s Home Baking blog.
Oh, by the way, in case you were wondering who created that stack of granola bars in the photo, that was my son, Dario, the architect. He also placed the raspberries and I drizzled the two icings over the top. It was fun working on it together to create something different.
Recipe: Caramel Granola Bars
Ingredients 
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup walnuts
- ¾ cup golden raisins
- ¾ cup cranberries
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 cup almond slivers
- 3/4 cup butter
- 2/3 cup honey
- 1 cup brown sugar
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a 10”x 10” baking pan with tin foil.
- In a bowl mix the oats, cinnamon, salt, fruit, seeds, nuts and coconut flakes.
- In a sauce pan add the butter and honey. Heat gently until the butter has melted.
- Add the sugar keeping the pan over the lowest flame your stove has. Stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, and continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring the mixture occasionally until it has formed a smooth caramel sauce.
- Pour over the dry ingredients, mix and scoop into the prepared pan.
- Press down the mixture.
- Bake for 15 minutes until the edges begin to brown.
- Take it out of the oven, let it cool for ½ an hour and then chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.
- When completely cooled cut into bars.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Number of bars: 24
I love your styling. The image is stunning. What you have said in this post is so true. My parents both grew up on properties in NZ where their parents were outside all the time and they grew everything. In the kitchen if you didn’t bake it yourself it didn’t exist. I really believe it was a much better way of life xx
Hotly Spiced recently posted..My Future Wallaby
Thanks, we had fun styling it.
It was definitely a much healthier way of life back then – without the additives in food and who knows what chemical compositions.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Caramel Granola Bars – Gluten-free
That’s one fantastic pile of granola bars!
It took a bit to deconstruct it and store them sensibly.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Caramel Granola Bars – Gluten-free
Caramel granola bars sound like heaven!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) recently posted..irish cream & mascarpone gelato
I liked the idea of using caramel as a binder though they are not quite as healthy as most of the variations I have made.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Caramel Granola Bars – Gluten-free
The moment I clicked on your blog and I saw the leaning tower of granola bars I laughed at such a fun picture, and salivated at the thought of eating these!
Amanda@chewtown recently posted..Spiced Nut Toasted Muesli
I tried to adjust the photo so they weren’t so leaning but then the horizon in the background went crooked, so leaning they are.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Caramel Granola Bars – Gluten-free
The styling is terrific – congrats to you and your son. Another great granola bar recipe! You’re the Energizer Bunny of granola bars – you keep going, and going and going! Good stuff – thanks.
kitchenriffs recently posted..Summer Pasta Salad
Yep, that’s who I am – the Energizer Bunny of granola bars. I have to keep searching for new variations to satisfy the family.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Caramel Granola Bars – Gluten-free
These granola bars look spectacular!
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Red Currant Banana Tart
Thanks, Angie.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Caramel Granola Bars – Gluten-free
These look delish!
Lesley recently posted..comfort pudding
Thanks, Lesley.
admin recently posted..Almond, Coconut & Chocolate Chip Cookies – gluten-free
Your creativity with pictures is amazing. This tower is so yummy, I’d not know if I should eat it or look at it
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today recently posted..Coconut scones
He he, my son helped me construct that. It was fun but not very practical.