Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Out with the old and in with the new!  It's the time of year to make a promise or a goal for yourself; lose 20 pounds this year, get a gym membership, go on a diet, workout 3 times a week.  It seems that most everyones new years resolutions involve something with being healthier or losing weight.  This is why I decided granola bars would be the perfect treat for this week!

Granola Bars.  The perfect snack to throw in your bag when heading out the door, the easy breakfast food when on the go, and the snack you think is healthy but is loaded with sugar and other fun additives.  Homemade granola bars are definitely the way to go.  They are super easy, pretty much take no time at all, and YOU can control what goes into them.

My granola bars have peanut butter in them because I love the protein before I go workout.  However, you don't have to put peanut butter in them if thats not your thing.  Adding craisins, raisins, pretzels, chocolate chips are all great add-ins, some healthier than others, of course.  Also, I use honey instead of sugar to get the sweetness I want but without the extra calories and fat that sugar contains.

Granola Bars
adapted from Emeril's Homemade Granola Bars
2 cups of oats
1/2 cup of sliced almonds
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8inch baking pan , with cooking spray, and put parchment paper on top and then spray the parchment paper.

Put oats and almonds on a foil lined cookie sheet and toast for about 15 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, heat butter, honey, brown sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla extract until everything is combined and melted together.

Add toasted oats and almonds to the saucepan mixture.  Stir until combined.

Press granola into baking pan evenly.  Bake for about 15 minutes.

Once completely cooled, cut into small squares.