Homemade Granola Bars

We have been picking up another child at school these past few weeks. Oh, her name is Harper and she looks just like our delightful little girl. But this alien child is as fragile as an embryo in the hands of Godzilla. We realized part of the problem is that by the end of school at 12:30pm, she is starving.

So in an attempt to be better parents than we were last week, we are steppin' up our snack game. I found this recipe for homemade granola bars and have been wanting to try it out.

Here is the recipe, courtesy of the NYtimes: 

Almond-Apricot Granola Bars

1/2 cup almond butter or other nut butter (peanut butter)*

1/2 cup honey

1 cup crispy brown rice cereal (Kashi nuggets cereal)*

1 cup granola (organic thick-cut oats)*

1/2 cup almonds, chopped (pecans)*

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped (dried cranberries)*

1/2 cup pretzels*

1/4 teaspoon salt

Vegetable oil for greasing.

1. Put almond butter and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until they melt together; whisk to combine.

2. Put the crispy cereal, granola, almonds, apricots and salt in a bowl and add the mixture of almond butter and honey; stir well to combine.

3. Grease a 7- or 8-inch-square baking dish with a little oil and line it with plastic wrap. Spread the granola mixture evenly into the dish, pressing down gently, and cover with more plastic wrap; refrigerate until set, at least one hour. Once set, remove by lifting the edges of the plastic wrap out of the dish; peel off the plastic and cut the bars to any size you like.

Yield: about 16 to 20 granola bars.

*My substitutions and additions because that is what we had in the cupboards

The kids loved them.