Who is tired of expensive granola bars with ingredients you cannot even pronounce? I know I am. Especially when you can make them at home at a fraction of the cost and without all the extra sugar and unwanted preservatives. 

These bars are full of nuts, seeds, whole grains, and mother nature’s natural sweetness. 

Yields: 12 bars

Ingredients: 

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked 

1 teaspoon ground Vietnamese Cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 Tablespoon hemp seeds

1 Tablespoon chia seeds

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 Tablespoons Creamed Cinnamon Honey 

1 /4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 by 13 glass pan with parchment paper. 

2. In a large bowl, mix  together first 6 ingredients. 

3. Add the mashed banana and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and mix in with spatula. Set aside. 

4. In a small microwaveable glass bowl, place the peanut butter and honey and stir. Microwave the blend for 30 seconds and stir with rubber spatula. If the consistency is not smooth and easy to stir, microwave for 5 more seconds and try again. Once shiny and smooth, fold the honey blend into the banana oat batter. Continue to mix with spatula until honey blend is incorporated throughout. Lastly fold in the sunflower seeds, almonds & cranberries. 

5. Spread the batter evenly into 3/4’s of the prepared 9 by 13 pan. There is not quite enough batter to fill the entire pan. Bake the bars for 18 minutes. 

6. Remove pan from oven and allow the bars to cool completely on a wire rack. Once the bars have cooled use the parchment paper to pull the bars out of the pan. On a cutting board, cut bars into 12 servings. Wrap individually in sealable baggies for lunches or on the go snacks.  Or store in a sealable container.