Chewy Granola Bars & Yummy Granola

Healthy snacks are just as important as eating a healthy meal. Yoga is about balance- not only with your body, but with every day situations. A balanced diet is very important to help your child grow and keeping them healthy. If your child wants to eat a sugary snack, make it a healthy- all natural treat. Here is a recipe for Chewy Granola Bars- without the added processed sugar you find in the ones at the store.

1 1/3 rolled oats
1/2 cup oat bran
1 1/2 cup brown-rice cereal
1 cup organic raisins (any dried fruit will work)
1/2 cup of brown-rice syrup or organic maple syrup
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of sea salt

Lightly butter a 8 inch square pan. Mix oats, bran, rice cereal, and fruit in a bowl. Over medium heat, combine syrup, vanilla extract and salt. Cook until it boils and starts to thicken- about 4 minutes. Pour over the oats and stir with a lightly buttered spatula. Spoon the mixture into the buttered pan and top with wax paper or foil. After the granola has cooled, cut into bars and place in an air tight container.


Breakfast Granola

8 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon Honey
1/2 cup of nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans chopped)
1/2 cup of each- raisins, cranberries and other dried fruit

Preheat oven to 325F. Combine oats, oil, vanilla and honey. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes., turning and stirring every 10 min. Add nuts after first 10 min. Remove from oven and cool. Stir in dried fruit. Store in an airtight container.

I love to cut up a banana, spread with peanut butter, then dip the banana in the granola. It's YUMMY! You can also serve the granola with milk.