Insider Tips, Tricks, and Creative Add-Ins! – One Green Planet

While you hear the phrases “granola bar,” you in all probability consider a wholesome snack. That may be true, however it’s additionally true that with the flawed substances, a granola bar can find yourself much less wholesome than a sweet bar. Learn the labels of some granola bars within the retailer, and also you is likely to be unpleasantly stunned. Many granola bars include substances resembling corn syrup, excessive fructose corn syrup, and refined sugars, whereas some are simply means too excessive in sugar and/or sodium. Some granola bars can also include animal merchandise resembling dairy and honey. After all, there are really wholesome granola bars you should buy, however you may discover it simpler, less expensive, and extra enjoyable to make them your self. While you make your granola bars, you get to decide on the substances to allow them to be as wholesome (or not) as you need them to be.

Earlier than moving into the home made recipe, listed here are some nice store-bought natural vegan granola bars:

Attempt all our ideas, tips, and artistic add-ins to make your subsequent batch in the present day!

1. Begin With The Fundamental Recipe

It’s simple to make your personal granola bars. You simply make granola and bake it into bars. You may get as artistic as you need with substances and flavors, however some fundamental substances go into most granola bars. The bottom is often oats, then you definately add different grains like quinoa, rice, wheat germ, flour, and even crispy cereal. Texture and taste come from chunky and chewy meals like dried fruits, nuts, seeds, or coconut. This all will get combined with some kind of sweetener resembling dates, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, agave, or brown sugar, and a kind of fats which could be coconut oil, vegan butter, or nut butter. Lastly, add taste with vanilla and spices. You need about 4 cups of granola combine. For tips about making your granola, take a look at DIY Granola – Simple and Wholesome!

Upon getting chosen your substances, combine the dry substances in a bowl and heat the liquid substances in a saucepan. Then toss all of it collectively in a bowl. Press the combination into an oiled and parchment paper-lined baking pan and bake it. Let it cool and reduce it into bars. That’s it. Anybody can do it, and what a enjoyable exercise to do with the children! Allow them to select their favourite add-ins, possibly even vegan candies and pretzels, give their creations distinctive names, and brag to their associates about how they made their granola bars.

2. Use Easy Suggestions and Methods

If you would like your granola bars to be extra chewy than crunchy, strive including flaxseed meal into the bars. For those who choose crunchy bars, bake them once more for five or 10 minutes after slicing them.

Sticky substances just like the sweeteners and a number of the fat assist the bars maintain collectively. For those who use liquids resembling vegan butter, use them sparingly. An excessive amount of liquid could trigger the bars to disintegrate. One other means to make sure the bars maintain collectively is to be sure to bake the granola till it’s a darkish golden shade.

As tempting as it’s to wish to simply dig proper in, the granola wants to chill fully earlier than slicing it into bars. This might take a few hours, so discover one thing to take action you received’t give in and reduce them too quickly. Retailer them at room temp, or wrap nicely and freeze for long-term storage.

3. Make Them Gluten-Free if Desired

Granola bars can simply be made gluten-free. Make certain the oats you employ are licensed gluten-free and never processed in a manufacturing facility with wheat or different gluten-filled substances. You can even select gluten-free grains resembling quinoa, rice, or gluten-free flours. Keep away from wheat, barley, and rye (all pure sources of gluten). When selecting sweeteners, you should definitely learn the labels. Some sweeteners, like sure manufacturers of brown rice syrup, could include gluten-containing substances like barley. There needs to be no distinction within the cooking strategy of gluten-free granola bars in comparison with common granola bars with gluten-based substances, so be happy to bake the identical means so long as you comply with a recipe to get the ratio of substances right.

4. Attempt Tasty Combos

My favourite combos often embody chocolate, coconut, and peanut butter. The coconut provides chewiness, and I like utilizing crispy rice cereal in my granola, which provides the crunch I really like. To make my Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars: Preheat the oven to 325 levels and line a 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray and parchment paper. In a bowl, mix 1 ½ cups rolled oats,  1 cup crispy rice cereal, 1 cup chopped roasted almonds, ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut, and ½ cup vegan chocolate chips. In a medium saucepan, mix 1 cup processed dates, ¼ cup agave nectar, and ¼ cup unsweetened peanut butter. Heat it over low warmth. Take away from the warmth and stir in 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Pour the liquid combination over the dry substances and stir to mix. Flip the combination out into the ready baking dish and press down with a spatula, evenly distributing the granola within the dish. Bake for 25-Half-hour or till a darkish golden brown. Take away from the oven and permit to chill fully. Minimize into squares or bars and retailer in an hermetic container for as much as per week. You can even freeze the bars, and they’ll final for months.

Listed here are another scrumptious combos you may wish to strive:

• Darkish chocolate, dried cherries, and almonds – good for Valentine’s Day
• Banana, apple sauce, and cinnamon – for a banana bread style
• Pumpkin puree, pecans, pumpkin pie spice – like pumpkin pie in a bar
• Cocoa powder, almonds, and peanut butter – Is it a granola bar or a brownie or each?!
• Cocoa powder, walnuts, and peppermint extract – That is my husband’s favourite combo.

5. Attempt Extra Vegan Granola Bar Recipes

Are you able to make your granola bars? Attempt these recipes: Chewy Selfmade Granola Bars, Finest Low Calorie Vegan Granola Bars in City, Tremendous Fast Granola Bars, Autumn Spice Granola Bars, Banana Granola Bars, Peanut Butter Match Bars, Coronary heart-Formed Vegan Almond Coconut Granola Bars, and these Uncooked “Granola Bar” Crackers. For a smaller snack, strive these Match & Fab Granola Bites and these Chocolate Chip Granola Bites.

As talked about, any granola combine could be changed into granola bars. Attempt these granola recipes in your subsequent set of bars: Berry Oxidant Granola, Seeds and Goji Berry Granola, Peanut Butter – Maple-Pecan and Coconut Bacon Granola, Chocolate Granola, Clumpy Banana Nut Granola, and Wholesome Plum and Pecan Granola.

Now that you’ve all the ideas and tips, get within the kitchen and make your personal granola bars for your self and people you’re keen on. What are your favourite substances in a granola bar? Inform us within the feedback.

Study The best way to Cook dinner Plant-Based mostly Meals at House

Lowering your meat consumption and consuming extra plant-based meals is understood to assist with continual irritation, coronary heart well being, psychological well-being, health objectives, dietary wants, allergic reactions, intestine well being, and extra! Dairy consumption additionally has been linked to many well being issues, together with zits, hormonal imbalance, most cancers,  prostate most cancers, and has many uncomfortable side effects.

For these of you interested by consuming extra plant-based, we extremely advocate grabbing our favourite plant-based cookbooks and downloading the Meals Monster App — with over 20,000 scrumptious recipes, it’s the largest plant-based recipe useful resource to assist cut back your environmental footprint, save animals, and get wholesome! And, if you are at it, we encourage you to additionally study in regards to the environmental and well being advantages of a plant-based food regimen.

Listed here are some nice assets to get you began:

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