Okay, not much defense. We still consumed over half the pan in about twelve hours and twelve hours after that the whole pan was gone! Homemade granola bars are my weakness. I've justified it in my head, telling myself they're soooo much better than chowing down on a dozen cookies. Don't tell me otherwise, I'm just going to keep making and enjoying them. They're at least full of better ingredients than a store bought version, right? Right?!?!
These rival the Mocha Coconut Granola Bars that were my previous homemade bar obsession.Although Joanne's original recipe called for hazelnuts, I was without and instead used macadamia nuts. A brilliant substitution, if I do say so myself. The sweet pineapple, the spicy ginger, and the salty macadamias, all wrapped up with chunks of chocolate is, quite literally, one of my favorite combos to date.
These are thick, chewy, and addicting. They also managed to settle the debate. Macadamias are worth the price. I'll be forking over the cash to make these cookies and these granola bars again and again and again!
P.S. Two days ago Glamour featured my Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries on one of their online blogs! Check it out here...fun stuff :)
One Year Ago: Greek Turkey Burgers
Pineapple Coconut Granola Bars
slightly adapted from Eats Well With Others
Ingredients:
-1 cup unsweetened applesauce
-1/4 cup + 1/3 cup honey
-1 tsp ground cinnamon
-3/4 tsp vanilla extract
-2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
-3/4 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
-1/2 cup candied ginger, chopped
-1/2 cup dried pineapple, chopped
-1/2 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper or foil. Spray with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine applesauce, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla, stirring to combine. Stir in oats until fully moistened. Add nuts, ginger, pineapple, and chocolate chips.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in the freezer until firm (approximately 1 hour) before cutting into bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week (not that they'll last that long!)
This post is linked to Eat at Home.
