Homemade Healthy Granola Bars

The other day, I asked my sister Jessica, to send me a recipe for granola bars that included Chia seeds.  She sent it immediately, but it was full of really obscure ingredients.  I happened to be in Wilmington anyway, so we headed to the Tidal Creek Coop in search of these items.  Unfortunately, once I priced the items, I decided that spending over $50 to make granola bars was absurd.  The recipe called for things such as:

The carob powder was $11.99 and the hemp protein was $17.99!  I don't think so!!

I decided to just pick up a few different ingredients and search for an adaptable recipe.  I found one on Cooks.com that you should check out.  First I mashed up 3 ripe bananas, 1 egg, and 2 tablespoons of honey:

Next, I combined the dry ingredients: 2 cups rolled oats, 1/4 cup chia seeds, 1 cup tart dried cherries, 1/2 cup dried figs, 1/4 cup roasted hemp seeds, 1/2 cup carob chips, 1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds, and 1/2 cup soft white wheat berries:  

I didn't actually measure anything except the rolled oats.  The recipe calls for 2 cups of your favorite trail mix, so I improvised. 

Next I mixed the dry ingredients and then added the banana mixture:

Stir until well coated and then transfer to a 13 x 9 greased baking dish and cook at 350 for 10-15 minutes until browned:

They certainly aren't quite as tasty as the store bought ones full of sugar, but they are a delicious, quick snack.  You can substitute for almost all the ingredients based on what is available and what you like.  Enjoy!