Page 131 - 2019TOHCookbook

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan.
2. Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts. For best texture and easiest cutting, be sure the fruits and nuts are cut/chopped into small, fairly uniform pieces.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, melted butter or oil, syrup or honey, and water.
4. Toss the wet ingredients with the dry until the mixture is evenly crumbly.
5. Spread in the prepared pan, shaking the pan to evenly cover the bottom and patting down gently.
6. Bake the bars for 25 to 30 minutes, until they’re golden brown around the edges.
7. Remove them from the oven, loosen the edges, and cool for 5 minutes.
8. Use a knife (or bench knife) to cut the bars while they’re still warm in the pan. Carefully remove warm bars from the pan, and cool on a rack. Alternatively, remove from the pan before cutting into bars; it helps to cut in half first, then loosen the bottom of each half with a turner/spatula before turning out onto a sheet of parchment to cut into bars.
TIPS:
* Wrap bars individually to store; or place in a single layer on a plate and cover with plastic; or store in layers with parchment in between. In humid weather, it’s best to store bars in the refrigerator. They also freeze well.
* Add-In ideas: dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, chopped pecans, chopped or slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, millet, hemp seed, flax seed, coconut, walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried cherries, dried apples, or chocolate chips (delicious with the PB Bar)
* Peanut Butter Granola Bar: add 1⁄3 – 1⁄2 cup peanut butter with wet ingredients.
* Chocolate Granola Bar: add 1⁄3 cup sifted cocoa to dry ingredients
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