Chocolate Candy (Granola) Bars *Award Winner!

*Winner of Farm Sanctuary's Just Eats Tour Vegan Recipe Contest!

Between my three boys, each one prefers a different type of granola bar.  And I get so annoyed when I buy them from the store because it can get expensive!  So I've been playing around with different recipe combinations and finally found one that all three kids love!  (I think the trick was to call them "bars" instead of "granola bars"!)  Oh, and these are chewy.

Chocolate Candy (Granola) Bars

yields 12 bars

2 C. rolled oats

1 C. whole wheat flour

1/4 C. ground flax seeds

1 Tb. hemp seed

1/2 C. Sundrops chocolate candies (like M&M's but healthier)

1/4 C. raw cacao nibs or chips (you could use vegan choc. chips too!)

1/2 C. crushed walnuts or whatever nuts you like*

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 C. Canola oil

1/4 C. brown rice syrup

1/2 C. raw agave nectar

1 Tb. black strap molasses

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 C. water

Preheat oven 350F.  Spray 8" X 8" baking pan with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.  In smaller bowl, combine wet ingredients and add to dry.  Mix well, then add chocolate candies, chocolate chips or cacao nibs.  Stir well and pour into prepared pan, pressing down evenly.

Bake 20 minutes, let cool.  

Cut into bars or squares and keep in airtight container.  

(My kids prefer them chilled rather than room-temperature for whatever reason so see what works best.  These are great to freeze too!)

*obviously you can omit the nuts if there are allergies, but I sometimes like to crush mine super fine so my kids don't even know they're in there