This homemade budget granola bars are healthy, low on sugar and gluten free. This recipe is easy to make with ingredients from your pantry. Granola bars are ideal for in between snacking and on the go energy boosting bars. You are going to love the ease and cost of this recipe. These homemade budget friendly granola bars are ideal for school break times.
WHY I MAKE MY OWN GRANOLA BARS?
I used to make granola for breakfast cereal or Muesli as its called in Switzerland, with choice of ingredients to suit our palates. Commercial ones are too sweet and most have gluten. Of late I started making these bars on a regular basis, because of this lock down. The cost of gluten free organic granola bars are quite high in Switzerland, so I rarely buy them. We usually buy them while travelling because they are easy to just carry in your rucksack. But my main aim now is to cut costs due to the economic crisis and its also nice to have something handy at home.
Our choice of breakfast is usually Homemade Sourdough bread or some other Fermented Indian breakfast. But, my daughter has a tendency to skip breakfast often, therefore its handy to have them. She can snack on them during school hours, especially now during this distant learning period of lock down.
INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING HOMEMADE BUDGET GRANOLA BARS
Granola bars generally have oats and some dried fruits thrown into it along with some nuts and sugar. For this recipe I used sunflower seeds – a lot cheaper than walnuts and almonds. Then added some lightly toasted coconut flakes, I wanted to use it up, because it was approaching expiry. For the sweeteners, I used brown Muscovado sugar and Agave syrup.
Previously, I made granola to eat like cereal for breakfast by adding milk or yogurt. This recipe better be practical, so I added the sugar to bind the dry ingredients together and shape it into bars. Now lets dive into the recipe.
TIPS FOR MAKING PERFECT GRANOLA BARS
- Use a Silicon mold if possible, they are easy to bake in and it comes of easily. I bought mine a while back and now they are used regularly.
- You will need sugar to bind the ingredients together, I used agave syrup in addition to some whole brown sugar.
- Don’t use honey, because honey when subjected to heat is poison for your body. Honey has many health properties till its heated up. Ayurveda strictly prohibits heating honey.
- You can make it vegan too, just substitute coconut oil for butter.
- If you don’t have a silicon mold, use a parchment paper on your baking tray, that way they come off easily and cut them while still warm.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
TOOLS YOU MAY NEED
9 x 13 Baking Dish or Silicon Mold
Large pot or sauce pan
Measuring cups, spoons, wooden spatulas
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HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BUDGET GRANOLA BARS
- Preheat the oven at top and bottom heat to 150 degree centigrade.
- Heat the cast iron skillet to medium heat and toast the coconut flakes till it turns light brown in color.
3. Heat a pot over medium heat and melt the butter, add the brown sugar, agave syrup, vanilla syrup and salt until it melts and comes together. Simmer this shortly.
4. Mix all the oats, seeds and dried fruits and toasted coconut. Until everything is mixed well and comes together.
5. Fill into the silicon mold or into a deep baking dish lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 – 30 min. or until it turns golden brown in color. Remove from the dish, cut and cool on a wire rack before serving.
SHELF LIFE HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS
You can easily store these homemade budget granola bars for at least a month. In our home, they don’t usually last that long. I store them in air tight Tupperware containers or glass containers with proper seals.
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Preheat your oven ( top and bottom heat ) to 150 degree centigrade. Heat a cast iron skillet and lightly toast the coconut flakes till it turns a shade darker. Next toast the nuts or seeds lightly for about 2 minutes. Heat a heavy bottom pan on medium heat. Add the butter or coconut oil, whole sugar, agave syrup, salt and vanilla essence or cinnamon powder. Simmer shortly. Next add the oats, seeds, or nuts and the toasted coconut. Stir. Fold in the dry fruits. Press into the silicon granola bar molds. Or alternatively, into a deep baking dish lined with parchment paper. Press it tightly. Bake between 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool. Cut them into bars if you are baked it in a dish. The ones in the mold come of easily anyway. If you are gluten intolerant, use gluten free oats.
You can use any mixture of nuts, if you want to go for it with nuts instead of seeds.
You can also freeze the bars to extend the shelf life, if you are making a big batch of them. 
Ingredients
Instructions
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