Granola Bars

This perfectly healthy snack / mid meal snack is a combination of oats, nuts and honey. I have added toasted sesame seeds too for added flavour. The list of additions is completely up to you. You could  add coconut gratings, rice crisps and any nuts of your choice.

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time : 45 minutes
Makes 15 granola bars

Ingredients

Oil - 1/4 cup / 2 tbsp butter
Oats - 3 cups
Sesame Seeds - 2 tbsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Honey - 3/8th cup (half of 3/4 cup)
Brown Sugar - 3/8th cup (half of 3/4 cup)
Vanilla Essence - 1/2 tbsp
Mixed Nuts - 3/4 cup( I used almonds, walnuts & Pine nuts)

Procedure

1. Heat an oven at 180 C
2. Mix the oats, sesame seeds, butter / oil and salt.
3. Coat the oats well and combine thoroughly.
4. Place in the oven and stir once every ten minutes. Bake till golden brown
5. Mix honey and brown sugar and heat on a medium flame stirring continuously till all the sugar melts.
6. Add the vanilla essence to the honey mixture
7. Chop / coarsely grind the nuts.
8. Mix the honey mixture and the nuts.
9. Add the baked oats and stir well with a wooden ladle till the oats is completely coated.
10. Place on a greased rectangular baking tray and flatten and compress till tight.
11. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or till the aroma of the granola bars spreads.
12. Cool outside the oven for 10 minutes
13. Cut it into desired lengths and allow to cool further.
14. If you do not cut it after 10 minutes, you will find it difficult to do so later as it hardens considerably.
15. Store in an airtight container and enjoy this healthy mid meal snack