Kids Cuisine

These homemade granola bars are chewy, sweetened with honey and brown sugar, and easily customized to suit your family’s tastes. Feel free to add chocolate or peanut butter chips, replace the raisins or cranberries with dried cherries or chopped dried apricots, or add sunflower or sesame seeds for added protein. If you’re having one of those “hurry-up-and-get-dressed-we’re-running-late” mornings, offer one of these as a breakfast cookie along with a glass of milk or calcium-added orange juice.

To keep these granola bars at their freshest, wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap, then store a bunch in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer. Toss directly into a lunch box or thaw on the counter top for 15 minutes as you need them.

• 2 cups quick-cooking (not instant) oats
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 to 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil inside a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish and mold it to fit the dish. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine oats, brown sugar, wheat flour, white flour, dried fruit, salt, cinnamon, and nuts in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, combine liquid ingredients and stir to mix well. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until all the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Spoon into foil-lined baking dish and press into an even layer.
3. Place in a 350-degree oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Let cool in pan. When cool, carefully lift foil out and transfer baked granola sheet to a cutting board. Use a large, sharp knife to cut into rectangular bars.

Makes about 20 granola bars.