Granola Bars with Dried Fruit and Seeds

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/granola-bars-with-dried-fruit-and-seeds?_rand=0.719828771392392

I've made these 4 times and they're always great.  A small but filling snack to take to the gym.  I'd count on 15 bars.  

I decreased the dried fruit to 1 cup and the coconut to ~1/3 cup to decrease the sugar and saturated fat.  I used almond butter each time, but might try peanut butter next time.  

YIELD

Makes 20 bars   

ACTIVE TIME

30 minutes     

TOTAL TIME

55 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1. • Nonstick vegetable cooking spray
   • 1 1/4 cups dried fruit (cherries, raisins, currants, cranberries, and/or blueberries), divided
   • 2/3 cup honey
   • 1/2 cup creamy almond, peanut, or sunflower butter
   • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
   • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
   • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats, divided
   • 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
   • 1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
   • 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
   • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

PREPARATION

1. 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly coat a 13x9" pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both long sides; spray parchment.
   2. Pulse 3/4 cup fruit and 1/2 cup hot water in a food processor until smooth and incorporated, 3–4 minutes. Add honey, almond butter, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla and pulse until combined, about 15 seconds. Add 1/2 cup oats and pulse until well combined, 30–45 seconds. Add pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, and remaining 1 cup oats and 1/2 cup fruit. Pulse until just combined, about 15 seconds.
   3. Transfer mixture to prepared pan, pressing down until completely even. Bake granola until darkened, firm around the edges, and the center gives just slightly when pressed, about 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool in pan. Remove granola using parchment overhang, then cut into 20 bars with a serrated knife.
2. Do Ahead
   1. Granola can be made 5 days ahead. Keep tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Cooks' Note

For crisp bars, arrange baked, sliced bars on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F until golden brown, 8–10 minutes, or toast as desired in a toaster oven.

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Servings: 18 or 24 bars

Cook Time: 10 Minutes  Total Time: 2 Hours
Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons canola oil
5 tablespoons coconut sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Heaping 1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups quick-cooking/instant oats, such as Quaker Quick 1-Minute Oats (do not use regular old-fashioned oats)
1-3/4 cups Brown Rice Crispies (Whole Foods)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup flax meal or wheat germ (I used hemp hearts)
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (or to taste) (or dried fruit)

Instructions:

1) Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
2) In a large pot, combine the butter, oil, sugar and honey. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.

3) Add the oats, rice cereal, almonds and flax meal (or wheat germ, hemp hearts) to the pan and fold with a rubber spatula until well combined.

4) Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press down lightly with a rubber spatula to even out. Sprinkle the miniature chocolate chips over top, adding more or less to suit your taste, and press down firmly with the spatula so the chips stick.The mixture should be tightly compacted in the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 1-1/2 - 2 hours to cool.

5) Use the foil overhang to transfer the uncut bars to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into rectangles. Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you have to stack them, be sure to use parchment paper or foil in between the layers, otherwise they'll stick together and fall apart.

Note: If you are substituting dried fruit for the chocolate chips, mix it in along with the other ingredients as opposed to sprinkling over top.