Snack Smart with Gingerbread Granola Bars

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I really love gingerbread, but have never had much luck making it myself. I tried making some gingersnap balls a few years back, and swore I was never touching that dough again. It was a gooey, sticky mess that I still have nightmares about. The treats were really tasty, but so not worth the effort to put them together. That was strike one.

Strike two on the gingerbread came last month when one of those coffee shops was having a buy one get one free on their holiday drinks. Mariah was so excited to try a gingerbread frappe, I treated her to one before our volunteer shift for the angel tree. That drink turned out to be one of the worst things we've ever tried. It was so bad, Mariah won't even look at a cute little gingerbread man without feeling sick now.

I was really hoping the season wasn't going to pass by without at least finding a good gingerbread recipe. I didn't want to do cookies, I didn't want to try another drink, and I really wasn't wanting to find anything to give me that final strike on such a beloved holiday flavor. I remembered that over the summer I saved a granola bar recipe I found from a book I checked out from the library called Clean Eating Made Simple. Off I went to hunt it down, and after looking over the ingredients, I knew I found a recipe that was going to be a new holiday favorite.

Not only are these bars soft and delicious, they are made with clean ingredients so you won't feel guilty indulging in more than one this holiday season. And, they are really quick and easy to make too! Score!

Author: adapted from Clean Eating Made Simpleprint recipe

Gingerbread Granola Bars

prep time: cook time: total time:

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 tbsp molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, cranberries, almonds, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda.
3. In a small bowl, stir together applesauce, syrup, molasses and vanilla.
4. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until combined.
5. Pour oat mixture into prepared pan. Press down firmly.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven. Allow the mixture to cool for 30 minutes, then score into 12 bars, but do not cut all the way through. Allow to cool completely, then continue to cut the bars all the way through.
7. Store in an air tight container for up to 1 week.

http://www.theresasmixednuts.com/2016/12/snack-smart-with-gingerbread-granola.html

Created using The Recipes Generator

You could change up the recipe and add different dried fruits, nuts, or even chocolate chips if you want to be a little naughty. I won't tell ;)

Keep a batch on hand for a quick grab and go breakfast or for a sweet afternoon pick-me-up. You won't be disappointed in this yummy holiday treat!

What are your favorite seasonal flavors?