Fruit and Nut Granola Bars (Gluten Free)

     More and more these days I'm finding that people are needing to eat gluten free.  While neither my husband or I have to eat gluten free we both suffer from joint pain.  Eating gluten free has been linked to relief from joint pain so we've been trying to switch over to gluten free when we can.

     One thing that made our switch easy is gluten free cereal.  We've been eating a lot of gluten free cereal from Attune Foods.  I've also found that I can bake with these cereals and have been making some treats for us.  One of my favorite things I've made so far are these fruit and nut granola bars.

      Granola bars are great to have around the house because we eat them for breakfast or a snack on the go and they are fairly healthy.  Packed with dried fruits, nuts, flax seeds, and gluten free cereal, they give me plenty of energy before aerobics or a long day at work.  They are sweet, easy to handle, and taste great.  I wouldn't have even known they were gluten free if I hadn't made them myself!

Fruit and Nut Granola Bars (a Hezzi-D original)

1 ½ c.  Bob's Red Mill Gluten free quick oats

1 ½  c.  Erewhon gluten free Strawberry Crisp Cereal (or gluten free raisin bran)
¼ c.  flax seed

¼ c. sunflower kernels

2/3 c. honey

2 T. butter

3 T. brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

2 t. vanilla extract

1 t. sea salt

1/3 c. nuts, chopped (I used pecans and almonds)

1/2 c. dried fruit (I used craisins and raisins)

1/3 c. golden raisins

1.   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Combine the oats, flax seeds, and sunflower kernels.  Place the mixture on one of the cookie sheets.  Set the other cookie sheet aside. 

2.   Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the mixture is beginning to brown.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

3.  In a large skillet heat the butter over medium heat.  Once it is melted add in the honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Mix well.

4.   Heat the mixture until it begins to boil.  Remove from heat and stir in the oats mixture, cereal, sea salt, nuts, dried fruit, and raisins.  Stir well to coat everything with the honey mixture.

5.  Using a spatula, pour the mixture onto the cookie sheet you set aside earlier.  Spread to ½ inch thickness.  Use another sheet of parchment to shape them into a rectangle.

6.  Allow the bars to set for 15 minutes.  Cut into 12 large bars or 16 small bars.

7.  Place the bars on a baking sheet and bake at 200 degrees for 5 minutes to firm up the bars.  Remove from the oven, cool on a wire rack, and store in an air tight container for up to a week.

This post linked to:
Thursday Treasures, Full Plate Thursday, Tasty Thursday, Foodtastic Friday, Foodie Friday,