These are easy-to-make, chewy granola bars. Mix and match with similar dry ingredients to create your own flavor of granola bars. Toasting the oats, sunflower seeds, nuts and coconut increases flavor and give the bars more crunchiness, however it is not necessary. You can omit the procedure and use the ingredients without toasting, if desired.

Another delicious recipe from our Family-Favorite Recipes Collection.

Granola Bars

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned (rolled) oats

1 cup chopped nuts (such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, etc.)

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

2 1/2 cups crisp rice cereal
1/3 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup smooth-style peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional use - see note)

1. Line with parchment paper, foil or grease an 11 x 17-inch jelly roll pan; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
3. Combine first 4 ingredients in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan, mixing well. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove and cool to room temperature.
4. Place toasted mixture a large mixing bowl and add the rice cereal, ground flax seed or wheat germ, dates and/or raisins; set aside.
5. Combine the brown sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until well mixed. Pour syrup mixture over granola mixture and stir until well coated. Stir in chocolate chips, if using.
6. Quickly spread mixture into prepared pan, using your hands if necessary to distribute evenly. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top and with a rolling pin, press granola mixture down firmly and evenly. Cool completely. Once cool, lift mixture from pan with the edges of the parchment or foil and cut into bars (a pizza cutter works nicely). If desired, wrap each bar individually so they'll be for a snack anytime, anywhere.

Makes 36 (approximately 1 1/4 x 4-inch) granola bars.

Cook's Notes:

• Since the granola mixture will be warm, the chocolate chips will, for the most part, melt. This creates a chocolatey-style granola bar. If you wait for the mixture to cool down even slightly, it will harden too much to incorporate the chips into it. Also, try other flavors of chips such as milk or white chocolate.
• For variation use any combination of dried fruits such dried cherries, cranberries, apricots, etc.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 bar): 241.0 calories; 34% calories from fat; 10.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 62.3mg sodium; 209.1mg potassium; 35.2g carbohydrates; 3.3g fiber; 17.0g sugar; 31.9g net carbs; 6.0g protein.

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