Sweet and Salty Granola Bars

Yesterday, we hiked part of the Appalachian trail. 

There's nothing like a hike through the Blue Ridge mountains in late September to heighten the senses.   The smells and the sounds and the beauty of the mountains are spectacular.  We really couldn't have asked for more perfect weather to help launch us into the spirit of Fall.

Hiking requires a lot of energy so I packed a picnic lunch for us to enjoy before we embarked on our journey.  Turkey sandwiches and roast beef sandwiches, homemade trail mix, soft chocolate chip cookies (recipe to be posted on the blog soon) and sweet and salty granola bars were all on the menu. 

These granola bars are really good - even if you are not planning to hike the Appalachian Trail anytime soon.

Sweet and Salty Granola Bars
1 cup oats
1/2 cup pistachios
2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup dried craisins
2 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup honey
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla








Place oats on a baking sheet and bake 6-7 minutes at 350 or until golden
brown.





Pour oats into a bowl and add pistachios, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and craisins.







Place butter, honey and brown sugar in saucepan.  Bring to a boil and boil 30 seconds.  Stir in vanilla.









Pour over nut mixture.  Stir to coat.

Pour mixture into a greased 8” square baking pan.  (I doubled the recipe because I eat them really quickly.  I put mine in a 9x13 pan.)  Press into pan evenly.

Bake 20 minutes at 350.
Remove from oven and cool completely.  Cut into squares or bars. 











I wrapped each individual granola square in a strip of waxed paper and tied it together with twine. 
Perfect for taking on a hike.

I first posted this recipe on the blog last September but I didn't feel like I really did it justice.  (That was back when I only included 2 photos with my recipes.)  In order to give these granola bars the exposure that they really deserve, I decided to re-blog them with LOTS more pictures.  (Okay, so I may have gone a little overboard with 41 pictures this time!) 

Just in case you missed these granola bars the first time around, you get a second chance to print the recipe and start baking. 

Ciao!
Sweet and Salty Granola Bars
1 cup oats
1/2 cup pistachios
2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup dried craisins
2 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup honey
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place oats on a baking sheet and bake 6-7 minutes at 350 or until golden
brown.  Pour oats into a bowl and add pistachios, sunflower seeds,
pumpkin seeds and craisins.   Place butter, honey and brown sugar in
saucepan.  Bring to a boil and boil 30 seconds.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour
over nut mixture.  Stir to coat.  Pour mixture into a greased 8” square
baking pan.  Press into pan evenly.  Bake 20 minutes at 350.  Remove from oven
and cool completely.  Cut into squares or bars.