Granola Bars

I haven't cooked in a while. School this past week was in-my-face and busy.

The hardest thing about school starting is the sudden loss of an available kitchen during the day. I can't just make something for lunch anymore. I have to make sure and pack enough food so that I'm not starving in the middle of my last class. Lots of planning goes into lunch. [Future blog coming about that.]

In an effort to mix things up a bit, I made granola bars... ones that actually stick together! Don't be fooled by the picture. They were still a little warm because I didn't want to wait to eat them.

It's Alton Brown's recipe, but I substituted flax seed meal for the wheat germ, which we all know is evil.

Granola Bars

1 c. oats
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1 c. almonds
1/2 c. flax seed meal
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 oz butter (I figured this to be 2T)
2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. kosher salt
6 1/2 oz dried fruit (I used cranberries. I love those things.)

Preheat the oven to 350. Toast the oats, sunflower seeds, nuts and flax for 15 minutes, stirring every once in a while. When it's done toasting, turn the heat to 300.

While that's happening, heat the honey, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and salt over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.

Mix the toasted stuff with the honey mixture and stir in the fruit. Press it into a buttered 9x9 pan and bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes.

Let them cool and cut into bars.

*update*

These are awesome at curbing that "wasting away- gotta eat now!" hunger that strikes when you least expect it. I ate a bar when I felt the beginning pangs before a lab, and I was good for a few hours. Awesome!