Oatmeal Granola Bars with Cranberry and Nut

Ingredients

• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup pecan halves
• ½ cup ground flax seed
• ½ cup milk chocolate chips
• ¼ cup wheat germ
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Warm your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment or waxed paper. In a big bowl, combine the oats, cranberries, pecans, ground flax seed, chocolate chips, and wheat germ. In another microwave-safe bowl, mix together the brown sugar, honey, vegetable oil, and a pinch of salt. Pop this mixture into the microwave for about 30 seconds, give it a good stir, then heat it for another 30 seconds until everything is smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract and cinnamon. Pour the warm syrup over the oat mixture and mix well until everything is evenly coated and the chocolate starts to melt. Press the mixture firmly into your prepared pan, spreading it out evenly. Bake for around 30 minutes, or until the edges turn a nice golden brown. Once it’s out of the oven, lift the bars out using the parchment paper and let them cool for about 5 minutes before slicing into bars.