No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Ava and I love Fiber One Chocolate Chip granola bars.  I wish Sidney could eat them but they contain dairy and nuts so they're off limits for her.  When I found this recipe for chocolate chip granola bars on Pinterest I was super excited because I could make them with Sidney-friendly ingredients!

This was my first time making the granola bars and they didn't turn out nearly as pretty as Lauren's in the picture above, but I learned a couple lessons.  First, the recipe calls for a 12x8x1 jelly roll pan.  I didn't have one so I used an 8x8 baking pan.  Even with the smaller pan, my granola bars were still on the slim side.  I wish I had doubled the recipe and still used the 8x8 pan so the bars were chunkier.  Second, a few of my granola bars broke apart when I was cutting them. This could be because they weren't thick enough, but it could also be because I didn't pack them in tight enough.  Or I may try reducing the butter to 3 tablespoons next time.

Regardless, they were still yummy.  The granola bars that broke apart I saved and used in my yogurt - yum!

Ingredients:
2 cups quick cooking oats {not rolled oats!}
1 cup crispy rice cereal
2 Tbsp Whole Ground Flaxseed Meal (I decided to add this at the last minute so it's not in the picture above.  You can't taste it so it's a good way to sneak in some fiber and Omega 3s.)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

NOTE: You may want to double the ingredients!

Instructions:

1.  In a large bowl, stir oats and rice cereal together. Set aside. 
2.  In a small pot, melt butter, honey and brown sugar together over medium high heat until it comes to a bubble. Reduce the heat and cook 2 minutes. Pour in vanilla and stir. 

3.  Pour over dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. 

4.  Pour into lightly greased small jelly roll pan (I used an 8x8 baking pan) and press out to be about 3/4 inch in thickness.  If your pan isn’t small enough, pack the mixture into one side. You really want to press them down so they stick together.

5.  Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and press down lightly. 

6.  Cool to room temperature for two hours or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars. 

7.  Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.