Chocolate Cranberry Nut Granola Bars

I woke up today at 5 a.m. for work to the lovely ringing of birds chirping, and it was just beginning to lighten up outside too. What a great time of year this is. Bright buds start to poke out of the ground, and the population of the city seems to quadruple, as everyone has been stowed away indoors the last 6 months hibernating from the winter chill.

One of my favorite things about living in Northern MN is that every time a season is done, I'm usually ready for the next. Especially since this was a "normal" Midwestern winter, complete with a ton of snow every week and a nice long cold stretch. I am glad to welcome the warmth and greenery, and have been enjoying the opportunity to get outside at every spare chance.

This is also a good time of year to renew my commitment to eating healthy, and exercise, because going outside for a jog is so much more enticing than listening to pre-pubescent boys at the gym scream at each other while they play basketball. So in my efforts I am trying to keep all my personal treat making as nutritious as possible.

I've always been a big fan of granola bars, but the store-bought ones are expensive and full of crap a lot of times. With the initial investment of a few ingredients, you can make a whole slew of granola bars easy as pie.

Chocolate Cranberry Nut Granola Bars

-1 cup quick cook oats

-1/2 cup chopped almonds

-2/3 cup dark chocolate, chopped into small squares

-1/2 cup craisins
-1/2 cup sunflower seeds

-1 T. flax seeds

-1 cup almond butter
-1 T. honey

-1/2 cup brown rice syrup

1/2 t. almond extract

Directions: In a small sauce pan melt honey, almond butter and brown rice syrup together until combined. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients with brown rice/almond butter mixture except chocolate. Allow mixture to cool several minutes then stir in chocolate. Press into sprayed 9 inch pan and chill 1 hour to set. Cut into strips. Store at room temp up to 1 week, can be frozen for longer life.

So easy, and so good.  

They yield a nice boost of filling protein too, as though you need to find an excuse to eat these. Enjoy!