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”? After all when you LOVE granola as much as I do, especially crunchy granola, you want to know what is in it right?
If you love chewy coconut recipes, you need to give these easy no-bake chocolate coconut drop cookies a try.
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 granola bars have ingredients you can pronounce.
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.
Spiced Holiday Granola is perfect for gift giving. All the warm spices of the season. Great for breakfast, or added to yogurt. It is like Christmas in a jar.
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
Ingredients
For the Dry mix:
- ¼ cup wheat berries (you can use whole wheat flour if you wish)
- ¼ cup flaxseeds
- ¾ cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup whole almonds
- ¼ cup quinoa flakes
- 2 tablespoons cocoa
For the Wet mix:
- 1 ⅓ cups applesauce (I used strawberry flavoured) (homemade or bought)
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoons chai seasoning blend spice (you can add any spice you like here)
Add Ins:
- ½ cup cranberries (and a bit to sprinkle on top)
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (and a bit to sprinkle on top)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with cooking spray, and line with parchment.
- Using a blender, combine the dry ingredients (wheat berries, cocoa, oats, quinoa flakes, flaxseeds and almonds). Blitz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Place this mixture in a bowl.
- In a bowl combine the wet ingredients (applesauce, vanilla, & chai spice).
- Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, and combine well.
- Add the cranberries and coconut, and mix to combine.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish, and spread evenly in the dish.
- Sprinkle with additional cranberries and coconut.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and let cool in pan.
- Once cool, remove from pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into 12 (or whatever size you like).
- ENJOY!!
Kristen Chidsey
I love bars where you can pronounce everything 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
HAHAH…yes I love not having to look up ingredients on the web.
Manju | Cooking Curries
I always love a good homemade granola bar and this one has everything I love. The applesauce in this is genius!
Homemade & Yummy
Yup it works well, and keeps them nice and moist.
Lynne Curry
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.
Homemade & Yummy
These are perfect for lunch boxes and after school snacks.
Kylee
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!
Homemade & Yummy
Chai works so well in many recipes, and this is no exception.
Giselle Rochford
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
Homemade & Yummy
Yes we really have to read labels, and have access to a dictionary too.
Anne Murphy
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.
Homemade & Yummy
I love chai…so I try to add it whenever I can. Such a great flavour.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
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!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes I have made the no bake as well. These are so nice and chewy…and simple ingredients for sure.
Mardi (eat. live. travel. write.)
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.
Homemade & Yummy
Perfect way to experiment in the kitchen.
Hanady | Recipe Nomad
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!
Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much. Hope you give them a try.
Jacqueline (PiperCooks)
“From scratch” is my favorite saying. So is “I can *make* it!” My kids tease me about it. haha. Wonderful recipe!
Homemade & Yummy
Thanks. Hope you give them a try.
Kathy McDaniel
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.
Homemade & Yummy
Hope they enjoy them….perfect to take to school. They travel well.
Dene' V. Alexander
If I have the option to make something from scratch or store bought, scratch wins every single time!! Hands down!!
Homemade & Yummy
Totally agree…especially when it is this easy.
Sarah James @ Tales From The Kitchen Shed
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.
Homemade & Yummy
Simple nutrition is best for sure.
The FoodOlic
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!
Homemade & Yummy
HAHAH…yes simple nutrition is so good.
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife
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!
Homemade & Yummy
HAHAH me too!! I know I couldn’t drink it now.