My husband often takes little snacks to work with him to enjoy throughout the day. He also has a pretty large sweet tooth. I’ve been wanting to create a healthier alternative for him and so this week, I took some time to put together a recipe for these honey nut bars. I created these bars based on what I had in my pantry at the time. You could certainly change out the ingredients to suit your own tastes. The thyme in my garden is exploding right now so adding in the fresh herb was a no brainer.
4 Cups Rolled Oats
4 Cups Chopped Pecans
1 tsp Salt
¼ Cup Walnut Oil
2 tbsp fresh Thyme, chopped
½ cup dried cranberries, chopped
Juice of 1 orange
½ cup Tahini
½ cup Orange Blossom Honey
1 tbsp Walnut Oil
Zest of 1 orange
1 tsp Vanilla
½ tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Salt
2 tbsp Chia Seed
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, combine orange juice and cranberries then set aside. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, salt, ¼ cup of oil and thyme. Mix well to coat with the oil. Spread out on 11×16 sheet pan (or a pan you have that’s a good fit) and place in the oven to toast for about 20-25 minutes until golden. Turn the mixture on occasion to toast all sides. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. In a small saucepan, over low heat, combine the Tahini, honey, remaining tbsp. of oil, zest, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and seeds. Stir to combine until well blended and melted – about 10 minutes then mix in the plumped cranberry and remaining juices. Remove from heat. Place the oats mixture back into the bowl and combine with the sauce. Stir well till mixture is nice and coated. Lay parchment on the sheet pan leaving edges to hang over. Press mixture evenly onto the sheet pan. Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Once chilled, remove block of granola and cut into squares. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 24 bars.
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Tammy Batcha is a life-long resident of the Shenandoah Valley. A long-time commuter, she seeks to reconnect to her community. A board certified, health and wellness coach, she continues to study integrative nutritional theory while guiding others on a path to wellness.
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