Gluten Free Granola Bars

Hello, everyone! As I continue to experiment with and learn about gluten-free options, I have realized that being gluten-free is not easy. Since this blog is about two friends learning about life and finding ways to make growing up (no matter your age!) easier, I've debated sharing my gluten-free struggles/recipes. These types of things are a bit more complicated than crock pot dinners and DIY necklace stands. However, if like me, you are struggling with dietary issues, then maybe a post just for you can help make YOUR journey through life simpler.

With that in mind, I bring you--GLUTEN FREE GRANOLA BARS.  A friend shared this recipe with me and it has made breakfast a simple morning pit stop, rather than a huge ordeal.  I have a kitchen-aid mixer (thanks, Grandma!) and whipped these bars up really quick, thanks to that handy thing!


Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. honey
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2  1/2 c. oats
1/2c.  rice krispies
1/4 c. coconut
1/2 c. choc. chips (or other add ins)

Steps one and two: Cream butter, honey, brown sugar, and salt. Then mix in oats, rice krispies, coconut, and chocolate chips.

I went to Whole Foods where my great friend, Brandon, helped me find everything I needed to make these bars. The only ingredients I already had were butter and salt. My ingredients totaled $30.00. "What? That's so expensive!", you may be saying. However, most organic granola bars are about $6.00/6 pack. These ingredients yielded 12 bars in this batch, and I have enough of everything leftover to make about 5 more batches (I'll have to supplement oats @ $1.00/lb.) That's 60 bars for $35.00, as opposed to 60 for $60.00. Don't forget--you could use coupons or buy in bulk. Also, these are gluten free, organic, and fair trade! Good for your wallet, your body, and the world!

Steps three-seven: Mix well. Press into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 325 for 18 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes and cut into bars. Let cool completely in pan.

Tip: I did not use a 9x13 pan and that increased my cooking time. Look for your oats to be well browned and easy to cut. If they are really falling apart when you try to cut them into bars, they have not cooked long enough. 

These are the raw, pressed oats. Make sure they are very brown before removing them from the oven!

Remove and enjoy!