80/365

80/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

One day has passed. I think that's a long enough break before I start blogging about food again, that okay with you?

Two things I'm currently really into: Central Market and homemade granola bars. Now, these things compliment each other rather well because Central Market has a huge section of STUFF that you can buy by the pound. Like a candy store, but cool stuff.

There's a coffee section, a tea section, an herb and spice section, a salt section (it stresses me out that there are that many kinds of salt), a nut butter section (I frequent the almond butter). You can buy rice, pasta, and flour by the pound. Not just regular flour - wheat flour, oat flour, rice flour, etc. You can buy quinoa and barley. There's an entire wall of granola and an entire wall of trail mixes. This is where I bought the dark chocolate for the New York Times cookie recipe. All kinds of chocolate - dark to white - by the pound.

I am in love with this part of the store. I love that I can buy just enough sea salt for 3 cents instead of a huge thing of it that I'll never finish for $5. I also found some steel cut oats there! Probably got about 2 cups for around $1. It's fabulous.

Can you see how this would feed my homemade granola bar obsession? It is a glorious marriage. And I would like to share today's granola adventure with you.

I basically picked an array of things I wanted to eat in a granola bar. Anything and everything. Easy enough.


Look at those prices!


Oh yeah.


I got this at WalMart for $1!

So basically, you have to come up with 2-3 cups of STUFF that you want in your bar. Here's what I did:


Started with some dried cranberries.


Followed by some dried currants.


And some dried apples that I threw in the food processor.


Next up? Toasted wheat germ. Don't know what that is?


And it's cheap, too!


Super dark chocolate chips. Duh.


Some heart healthy trail mix: almonds, soy beans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and raisins.


Then, thanks to Tricia Gilchrist, I added some dates. Just a few. And chopped very fine in the food processor.


A handful of chopped pecans.


And finally, puffed brown rice! Gotta love that texture.


I'm ecstatic looking at this. What's wrong with me?


So here's what you do. Put 1 2/3 cups of oats in a bowl.


Then you add 1/3 cup of oat flour OR 1/3 cup of ground up oats. The first time I ground the oats in the processor. This time I used the flour since I could buy it so cheap by the pound! This helps bind the bars.


The original recipe doesn't call for all of it, but I added cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and all spice. I just love all those things together and put them in as many things as I can.


Then dump your stuff in there!


And smile.


Next, grab another bowl and melt 6 tablespoons of butter in it. This step is non-negotiable. No healthier substitutes will work, so don't try applesauce. Add to the butter 1/4 cup of something sweet and sticky. The original recipe called for either honey, maple syrup, or corn syrup. I used all agave nectar the first time. This time I used half agave nectar, half honey. Mostly because I'm trying to ration the agave for tea and oatmeal. Yummmm.

Also, on top of the 1/4 cup of sticky sweetener, you MUST ADD 2 tablespoons of corn syrup. I tried to circumvent this and subsituted 2 tablespoons of honey today. It did not bind NEARLY as well. Stick with the corn syrup.

Also, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla.

THEN...


Mix it in with the dry ingredients. At this point, you can add 1/3 cup of nut butter - which the recipe states as optional. For me, this is NOT optional. Since I love nut butters. I added pure peanut butter this time.


All mixed up, don't know what to do...


Prepare an 8X8 pan with parchment paper and throw the granola in there.


Pat it down and stick it in a preheated oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.


I probably could have taken this out earlier, but last time 30 minutes was perfect. I think because you can vary this recipe in so many ways the baking time can change.

Let them cool then stick them in the refrigerator to bind them even more before you cut them.


And here is where I learned that honey is a bad substitute for corn syrup. Previously, I had 16 perfect squares and I wrapped them up in saran wrap individually. Kept them in a bag in the fridge and it was the perfect grab and go snack!

This time, I did not wrap them individually. Rather, threw the whole lot into a bag and am going to eat them with milk in the morning. Crunch a few up and you've got cereal!

Next time I make them I'll be sure to share a final picture. In the meantime, feel free to try them yourselves.

Chewy Granola Bars
adapted from Smitten Kitchen, which is adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats
1/3 cup oat flour (or 1/3 cup oats, processed till finely ground in a food processor or blender)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I always at least double)
2 to 3 cups dried fruits and nuts (total of 10 to 15 ounces)*
1/3 cup peanut butter or another nut butter (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I normally double vanilla, too)
6 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup honey, maple syrup or corn syrup
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water

* If you opt for no dried fruit or chocolate chips in your mixture, best to add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup sugar as the original recipe called for. I prefer the sweetness in the fruit and chocolate mixed with a salty, nutty oat mixture rather than regular white sugar.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8″ x 8″ x 2″ pan in one direction with parchment paper, allowing it to go up the opposing sides. Lightly grease the parchment paper and the exposed pan, or coat with a non-stick spray.

Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, melted butter or oil, liquid sweeteners and water. Toss the wet ingredients with the dry (and peanut butter, if you’re using it) until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Spread in the prepared pan, pressing them in firmly to ensure they are molded to the shape of the pan.

Bake the bars for 30 or until they’re brown around the edges.

Cool the bars in their pan completely on a cooling rack. (Alternately, after about 20 minutes you can use your parchment “sling” to lift and remove the bars, and place them in their paper on the rack to cool the rest of the way. This can speed the process up.)

Once cool, a serrated knife to cut the bars into squares. To store, wrap the bars individually in plastic or stack them in an airtight container. In humid weather, it’s best to store bars in the refrigerator. They also freeze well.