Homemade Granola Bars
Serves: 16

Ingredients
2½ cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup chopped raw pecans
½ cup chopped dried cranberries
¼ cup mini dark chocolate chips
⅓ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup ground flaxseed
2 tsp cinnamon
¾ cup canned pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
½ cup liquid honey
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, letting the paper overhang on two opposite sides (so you can use it as a sling to pick up the granola bars after baking).
2.Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, honey and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Mix using a wooden spoon until dry ingredients are coated with pumpkin mixture. Make sure there aren’t any dry oats in the bottom of the bowl.
3.Pour the wet granola mixture into the prepared pan and spread it evenly to the edges. Using your hand, press down firmly on the granola so that it’s tightly packed in the pan.
4.Bake on middle oven rack for about 25 minutes, until top turns a light golden brown and feels dry to touch. Remove pan from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Lift cooled slab of granola from pan by holding on to parchment paper and transfer to a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the granola into 16 bars, about 1½ x 4 inches each. (Tip: Press down with the knife to cut the bars and avoid a sawing motion.) Wrap bars tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container, either at room temperature or in the fridge.

Nutrition:

This homemade granola bar will keep you feeling full and give you a boost of energy! Pecans are one of the highest antioxidant-containing nut out there. They are filled with healthy fats and fibre making them a fantastic addition to any recipe.