Fructooligosaccharides, what the heck it that? These Healthy Homemade Soft Chewy Granola Bars from Scratch are made with ingredients you CAN pronounce. Perfect for lunch boxes, after school, or even breakfast on the run.
Haven’t you always wondered about ingredients? The mysterious scientific names that are on labels. Do you ask yourself ‘how good is this for me”?
Did you study chemistry in school? I did. I loved experiment day when we would put things together in a test tube. Watching to see if there is a reaction. Looking under the microscope to see cell formation. What did we create today?
When I was a kid Tang was the popular drink at the time. In fact, even the astronauts drank it in space. At least that is what they told us in the commercials.
BE MINDFUL OF LABELS
If it’s good for the astronauts it’s good for us right? It was a like a science experiment in a glass. You add this orange powder to water, give it a mix, and viola, you have orange juice. Who needs fresh oranges when you can have this?
I don’t know about you, but when I have to use a dictionary to read food labels, something is wrong. What is fructooligosaccharides anyway? I had to even triple check the spelling of this one.
Just have a quick glance at food labels. I bet you will be surprised as to what is really on them. Especially on the “healthy” food choices. Fructooligosaccharides was actually on a granola bar label.
HOMEMADE FROM SCRATCH
Do the words “made from scratch” scare you? I was watching an episode of Desperate Housewives the other day as I used the treadmill. Yes I know, that show is over, but I have the dvd’s…good shows never come to an end. Bree had just made a batch of cookies. She did stress the fact that they were made from scratch.
My mom and baba made everything from scratch. Perhaps it was because when I was a kid, there were not as many options in the grocery stores. Yes there were cookies, cereals, chocolate bars and potato chips. Certainly not to the extent they are today.
You too can make these Healthy Homemade Soft Chewy Granola Bars from Scratch.
PURE, SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
My philosophy is “Food doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to taste good”. Pure, simple ingredients create wonderful, tasty results.
Honestly, the simpler the better. Like these bars for instance. Throw some wheat berries, oatmeal, quinoa flakes, flaxseed, almonds and cocoa in a blender. Blitz until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Put the mixture into a bowl. Add some applesauce, cranberries, coconut, sweetener, and spice. Mix, put in a baking dish. Bake, cool, cut…eat.
I didn’t notice any mysterious scientific terms in the ingredients, did you?
Another great, quick and totally delicious recipe (that my grandson goes bonkers over) is my Banana Chocolate Roundup. 3 simple ingredients that make a great after school snack, or even dessert.
EXPERIMENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE
Are you one of those people that have to follow a recipe exactly? I get it, some people are like that. They may not feel they have the confidence in the kitchen to experiment. They are scared to screw things up.
I am the opposite. I will look at a recipe and decide what I want to change. Sometimes it’s because I don’t like a particular ingredient in the list. Other times it’s because I don’t have the particular ingredient in the cupboard.
Take this granola bar recipe and change it to what you have to work with, or what you like to eat. Swap out the flaxseed for chia seeds. Change the almonds to walnuts. Use raisins instead of cranberries. Whatever you have, just use it.
Leave the mysterious scientific ingredients in the chemistry lab. Food should be made with ingredients you can pronounce (and spell). These Healthy Homemade Soft Chewy Granola Bars from Scratch are just that. Give them a try and see how easy they are to make.
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THINGS YOU CAN USE TO MAKE THIS RECIPE (affiliate links):
For another healthy, simple ingredient snack, try my Superfood Trail Mix Bites.
Healthy Homemade Soft Chewy Granola Bars from Scratch
Nutrition should not sound like a science experiment. These Healthy Homemade Soft Chewy Granola Bars are made with ingredients that you CAN pronounce.
Ingredients
For the Dry mix:
- 1/4 cup wheat berries (you can use whole wheat flour if you wish)
- 1/4 cup flaxseeds
- 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup whole almonds
- 1/4 cup quinoa flakes
- 2 tbsp cocoa
For the Wet mix:
- 1 1/3 cups applesauce (I used strawberry flavoured) (homemade or bought)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp chai seasoning blend spice (you can add any spice you like here)
Add Ins:
- 1/2 cup cranberries (and a bit to sprinkle on top)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (and a bit to sprinkle on top)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350º F.
Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with cooking spray, and line with parchment.
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Using a blender, combine the dry ingredients (wheat berries, cocoa, oats, quinoa flakes, flaxseeds and almonds). Blitz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
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Place this mixture in a bowl.
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In a bowl combine the wet ingredients (applesauce, vanilla, & chai spice).
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Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, and combine well.
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Add the cranberries and coconut, and mix to combine.
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Pour the mixture into the baking dish, and spread evenly in the dish.
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Sprinkle with additional cranberries and coconut.
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Bake for approximately 25 minutes.
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Remove from oven, and let cool in pan.
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Once cool, remove from pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into 12 (or whatever size you like).
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ENJOY!!
Recipe Notes
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge. I prefer eating them at room temperature, so I will take a piece or two out of the fridge prior to eating, just to get the chill out. These are great for lunch boxes, after school snacks, or even breakfast on the run.
For another totally healthy snack, try my Superfood Trail Mix Bites.
Homemade stuff is SO much better than store bought. I don’t like to eat food that contains ingredients I can’t even pronounce. SO cheers for homemade granola bars 🙂 This looks really delicious Gloria. Can’t wait to try this combo.
They were a hit here….and worked for snacks and breakfast on the go too.
Fructooligosaccharides are quite beneficial for gut health, they are prebiotics – “nondigestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon”. In other words, they are the necessary “food” for the good bacteria (probiotics) to feed on.
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are naturally found in certain foods like garlic, onion, Jerusalem artichokes, and chicory root and they target the microbe bifidobacteria. So if you are taking a probiotic with the bifidobacteria strain you will want to eat fructooligosaccharides to feed that probiotic.
Without prebiotics, probiotics can’t survive.
Anyhoo, I totally get your point 😉 I am a functional medicine nutritionist so my nutrition nerd radar went off with FOS as an example of an unpronounceable “ingredient”. We should 100% stay away from chemicals and bizarro food like products. I don’t know if you were referring to a specific product that contained FOS? Or just using that as an example of something we can’t pronounce and thus shouldn’t eat? but FOS is beyond safe, beneficial in fact, unless you have SIBO, then that’s a whole other scenario!
Ok… stepping down off my soap box to say your granola bars look delicious! and real food for the win (just that FOS is also real food) 😉
HAHAH…well thanks for the response. Yes I was referring to FOS as “unpronounceable”….and most people would have no clue that it is actually good. My point is that we really should pay attention to labels….most times you have no clue what is in food…even after reading the label.
I love that every single ingredient in here delivers sustained, quality energy. These look great!
Yes these are perfect for breakfast or snacks.
I am always on the lookout for a good hiking bar, these are perfect!
Yes they sure would be.
Love everything about this – good, healthy eating! Wish I had some of this now!
So easy and totally delicious.
I love bars where you can pronounce everything 🙂
HAHAH…yes I love not having to look up ingredients on the web.
I always love a good homemade granola bar and this one has everything I love. The applesauce in this is genius!
Yup it works well, and keeps them nice and moist.
I’m adding this recipe to my collection of homemade granola bars I have to try. For some reason, I keep thinking about making granola bars for my kids but not following through on it. I bet they would love a chewy version. Homemade everything is definitely the best.
These are perfect for lunch boxes and after school snacks.
I love anything with Chai spices. The warmth in it lends itself well to pretty much everything! I could so get behind these granola bars!
Chai works so well in many recipes, and this is no exception.
I’m a lot more conscious of what’s in my food now than I was 10 years ago. I also get worried when there are a tonne of ingredients on labels that I’ve never heard of/can’t pronounce but from the research I’ve done, quite a few of the more scientific names aren’t actually chemicals, just the scientific names for regular, naturally occurring ingredients. Not sure why companies feel the need to do that though. Life would be so much easier if they used layman’s terms on the nutrition panel lol
Yes we really have to read labels, and have access to a dictionary too.
I like the idea of using a chai spice blend! I”d never thought of using that in baking, but it sounds delicious! And yes, I make most things from scratch, and have for years.
I love chai…so I try to add it whenever I can. Such a great flavour.
I get very excited when I can transform anything that is store bought and make it with whole some ingredients with no additives and call it ‘made from scratch’. I always get a look from my friends when I say it, but it gives me this satisfaction that I am feeding the right things to my young boys. I love your bar and this is something I would try. I have made the no bake version of granola bars, but this looks very doable!
Yes I have made the no bake as well. These are so nice and chewy…and simple ingredients for sure.
I don’t always make my own but I am a careful label reader and the granola bars I buy contain only a handful of (pronounceable) ingredients. These look good and I love that they are a blueprint for experimenting with ingredients and flavours.
Perfect way to experiment in the kitchen.
I am just like you about changing a recipe. I used to be a recipe follower to a T but I found it so much easier and sometimes tastier to deviate and add my own touches! These oatmeal bars look so yummy that I don’t think I’ll change a thing!
Thanks so much. Hope you give them a try.
“From scratch” is my favorite saying. So is “I can *make* it!” My kids tease me about it. haha. Wonderful recipe!
Thanks. Hope you give them a try.
It always drives me crazy and makes me nervous when I can’t pronounce or even know one of the ingredients in my food. I am all about simple, homemade, nutritious and delicious. This recipe is perfect! Will be making it for my boys.
Hope they enjoy them….perfect to take to school. They travel well.
If I have the option to make something from scratch or store bought, scratch wins every single time!! Hands down!!
Totally agree…especially when it is this easy.
You are so right about homemade is best, so many products labelled healthy have added extras in I’ve never heard of let alone spell or pronounce. Your granola bars look delicious and I like how they’re so easy to make too.
Simple nutrition is best for sure.
Ok, I confess I’m always scared of desserts and bars because of their fat, sugar and flour contents but this post really is an eye opening one! None of the unhealthy usual stuff in there! I’ll definitely try it out! Plus it looks irresistible!
HAHAH…yes simple nutrition is so good.
Wow – Tang! I shudder when I think how much I drank that stuff as a kid. These granola bars are packed with so many good for you ingredients. Love it!
HAHAH me too!! I know I couldn’t drink it now.
I haven’t eaten granola bars recently because the ingredients list on them in soooo long! I’ll have to give these a try- I don’t know why I haven’t made my own before!
They really are so easy to make….and you know what is in them.
I absolutely love that this has wheat berries, flax seed and quinoa! That’s a whole lot of healthy and I’m totally digging that they are soft. I prefer soft granola bars over hard ones!
They are super chewy delicious.
These look perfect for after school snacks for the kids. I don’t love store bought granola bars because of some of the not so optimal ingredients but these looks great and I like to be able to use what I have!
Yes….you can make these with just about anything.
I haven’t heard anyone mention Tang in I don’t know how long! That is so funny. I definitely prefer your ingredients to the stuff I can’t pronounce. 🙂
OMG Tang….I don’t even think I could drink it now.
Such a delightful looking snack! I love chewy granola bars, but I always make the with dates – as the binding agent. I have no problem with that, but dates can be rather expensive. Thanks for the alternative! 🙂
Dates would be great too.
These sound really good for breakfast! I couldn’t agree with you more..if you can’t read the ingredients probably safe to say you don’t want to eat it. Is Tang still around? I remember that when I was younger but wouldn’t even think of drinking it now.
No I could not think of drinking it either. I had these for breakfast this morning.
It’s really sad the things in the grocery stores, marketed to kids, that have a ridiculous amount of junk in them. My kids usually get homemade muffins with healthy things snuck into them, lol. Or they get granola bars that I’ve obsessively poured over the ingredient list of. Do you think this recipe would work, minus the nuts? Maybe, pumpkin seeds instead?
Absolutely would work with pumpkin seeds….in fact they would be delicious.
Haha! As an actual scientist, I always think it’s funny when people say things like “if you can’t pronounce the ingredients, don’t eat it.” Fructooligosaccarides? Not only do I know what the are, I don’t have to double check the spelling. 😉 And interestingly, fructooligosaccarides may actually be beneficial to your health! But I totally get your point – homemade IS always better. It’s so nice to control what goes into what you make, especially when you see how much sugar so many commercial granola bars contain. Yikes! Love the addition of flaxseed and quinoa in your version.
HAHAH….a scientist. I had to look at the spelling several times. I do agree fructooligosaccarides (FOS) may have a place in nutrition, but many people would not know what it is.
If find myself munching on snacks all the time, and do love some good healthy granola bars. Unfortunately, most store-bought ones are anything but healthy, too much sugar added and some hidden nasty ingredients. I love the idea of a home-made one that can be enjoyed anytime of the day. The perfect snack recipe!
Yes I do find store bought to be very sweet, and overly hard.
These sound like a great morning snack! Also perfect for a hike!
Perfect for both….hope you give them a try.
I love granola bars, but so many of them aren’t even that good for you. MAking your own bars like this is great because you know exactly what went into it.
So easy. Nutrition does not have to be hard…simple is best.
Love granola but have never tried it soft and chewy. Your recipe really looks delicious I would like to have a bite now. Great for pairing with my morning coffee. And all those almonds yummy for my tummy.
I love these for breakfast. Hubby loves them when he gets home from work.
Oh my gosh we grew up drinking Tang too and thought it was the best thing ever. And you’re right…it’s pretty sketchy when you think of what’s actually in it! These granola bars on the other hand look delicious and the ingredients are all amazing!
HAHAH….yeah Tang was the thing back then. Not sure I could drink it now. The ingredients in these bars are so healthy.
These look so healthy! I love that some of the mixing can be done in a blender. Definitely going to make some of these for quick breakfasts 🙂
Yes…I love them for breakfast too. The blender does an awesome job mixing up the ingredients.
I love that you have such a healthy combination and that you used apple sauce instead of peanut butter. I use prefer apple sauce too! Can’t wait to try this
The applesauce works great. Keeps them moist and chewy.
These sound really good! I love taking homemade bars on a hike or road trip – so conveniently yummy!
Perfect to take along anywhere.
I remember Tang! I used to like it, but I don’t think I would anymore. Isn’t it handy to have nutritious “made from scratch” granola bars for portable snacks!
Yeah Tang…I could not drink it now for sure. I love simple nutrition. These are so hand to take along.
What a great whole-foods ingredient list! I love granola bars but sometimes get turned off by the really dry, oat-heavy types, and these look so chewy and perfect.
These are so chewy….and totally delicious. Not too sweet either.
Those do look tasty. I would love them for breakfast. 🙂
HAHA….yup….they were my breakfast today!!
I love all your suggestions for various changes to the recipe making it versatile! These bars look delicious!
Right!! Use what you have. It’s fun to be creative.
Oooh goodness me these look good! I like taking granola bars with me when I go on long cycle trips – do you think this recipe would pack well? 🙂
Absolutely…they are easy to wrap and take along!!
These look delicious! Chewy granola bars are my favorite and I love the addition of the Chai spice. yum!
It is great they are so easy to make. Perfect for lunch boxes, snacks or even breakfast.
These look fantastic- my only problem is that I won’t be able to stop myself from eating them all right away.
Well you could keep them in the freezer and being out a few now and again LOL.
These bars look just soooo good. Love all the healthy goodness you have packed into them!
It is crazy how easy these are to make. Just use what you have…and you will be surprised.
I’d love one of these to start my morning!
Morning and afternoon snack too.
Love all the seeds and nuts in these bars, looks so healthy and nutritious for an afternoon snack.
They are perfect for that.
Very healthy ingredients for such a delectable appearing bar. Beautiful photos, too!
Thanks so much, hope you give them a try.
We usually bu our granola from cost co but this recipe looks pretty simple to make. I’m going to give it a try.
Costco does have some great bars…but if you want to give homemade a try…hope you try these.
With this recipe I can kill two best with one stone, lOL. I can treat my sweet tooth and eat healthy as well, didn’t think I would ever say that. Thanks a lot Gloria!
Yes…you get a 2 for 1 deal!!
I love making homemade granola bars! It has been a while since I’ve made any, but they are a staple for my events for my kid’s classes at school, the teachers even ask for them. Homemade is definitely better!
This was my first time baking them. I usually make the “no bake” version. They turned out really well.