PBCC Granola Bars (Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip)

I like to pack a lot of food when I go on trips with my boys, whether it be to the mountains, the beach, or even just a park outing.  Snacks can save your sanity on excursions  with little ones.  Food always takes my little man's mind off of the boring car ride, or a bad case of the “sleepies”.  As a mom, I always have a snack on hand.  I can’t tell you how many times I have reached into my purse at work, looking for a pen or my checkbook, and came up with a bag full of nuts or a granola bar. 

Planning ahead and packing snacks and meals for vacations can save time and money that would otherwise be spent searching for a halfway decent restaurant or store.  When you are on vacation, it's all about time spent together, right?  Having food and snacks on hand means getting to your destination more quickly, or getting out there onto the beach, or up and out onto your mountain hike.  Plus, it can be a much healthier alternative to the "food" and "snacks" sold at most restaurants and gas stations.   

Granted, if you are staying at a hotel, it can be more difficult to take a full meal, but if you have an in-room mini-fridge, there’s plenty of room for snacks and drinks. 

I made these granola bars for our beach trip last week as one of our snack options, and they were a huge hit!  We snacked on them during our trip, between meals, and my son had them with fruit in the morning for breakfast and loved it! 

Ingredients & Instructions

 
1/3 C. Honey
¼ C. Maple Syrup

1 C. Natural Peanut Butter
½ Tsp. Cinnamon
¾ Tsp. Vanilla Extract
½ C. Semisweet Chocolate Chips
¼ C. Sunflower Seeds
2 ½ C. Oats
½ C. Roasted Cashews (chopped)
¼ C. Dried, Unsweetened Coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Whisk together the honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl.  Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until oats are thoroughly coated.  Dump granola mixture into a parchment lined 9x9 baking pan.  Using your clean hand utensils, push the mixture tightly into the pan making sure to evenly distribute.  Bake for 25-30 minutes and then place in freezer to cool for at least an hour or two.