CHUNKY, CRUNCHY, CHEWY GRANOLA OR GRANOLA BARS







CHUNKY, CRUNCHY CHEWY GRANOLA OR GRANOLA BARS
NOTE:  This granola might seem daunting due to all the nuts required.  Frankly, you can choose two different kinds of nuts and stick with those....or even one kind.  Up to you!

For quite a while I've been thinking that I would like a Granola recipe - one that doesn't rely on flax seeds.  I challenge you to find commercial granola or granola bars that are as tasty or healthy as these.    Store in a cookie tin in the freezer for the best texture.  At room temperature, they are more chewy than crunchy in texture.  I'm not sure if that is because of our humid climate or not.  In any case I love them right out of the freezer.  I can eat them with a cup of tea - they are that tasty.  You are welcome to frost them with my Betty-Crocker Like Frosting or dip them in chocolate, but I don't think it is necessary.

P.S.  I am rethinking the angel coconut for this recipe.  After a week in the freezer, these granola bars became more chewy than crunchy.  I think using plain coconut will lengthen the life of the texture of these bars.  They are still (even with a chewier texture) better broken up and used in Yogurt Granola Parfaits than most regular granola.  My son, Jonathan, said so and when I compared notes with the regular granola he had brought from the city for his girl friend, I agreed.

The sweetener tables for all the most common scenarios are in my cookbooks for your convenience.  For example, ¾ cup sugar sweetness (not ¾ cup liquid) using my bottle of sucralose from the EZ-Sweetz brand (whether the smaller one of 0.5 oz or the bigger yellow bottle of 2 oz – Zero carbs) would be 18 or 36 drops respectively.  Here is an article and video about the sweeteners. Part 1.  There is another article and video here: Part 2.




1 cup finely chopped peanuts (250 mL)
1 cup finely chopped almonds (250 mL)
1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut (250 mL)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (125 mL)
1/2 cup chopped cashews (125 mL)
1/2 cup Gluten-Free Bake Mix, OR almond flour, OR later (125 mL)
  Bake mixes
1/cup seedless raisins, optional (analysis includes this), (75 mL)
  OR sugar-free dried cranberries
2 egg whites from 2 large eggs
Liquid sweetener to equal 1 cup sugar (250)
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled (60 mL)
1/4 cup powdered sweetener (60 mL)
1 tbsp sugar-free honey, OR (15 mL)
  natural honey (optional)
1/2 tsp salt, OR to taste (2 mL)


Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).  Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. 

In large bowl, combine peanuts, almonds, coconut, pecans, cashews, Gluten-Free Bake Mix and raisins.  In small bowl, beat egg whites with a fork until frothy. Add liquid sweetener, melted, cooled butter, powdered sweetener, honey of choice, if using and salt; combine well.  Pour over granola and scrape all wet mixture out with spatula and stir granola well to combine thoroughly. Place granola around the perimeter of the prepared cookie sheet, leaving a big open rectangle in the center (to prevent soft spots).  Bake 25 minutes, cover with parchment paper and bake 15 to 20 minutes more. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 25 granola bar shapes or breaking up into granola chunks.  Place in cookie tin, seal and freeze. 
Helpful Hints:  It is possible to change out the ingredients as you desire. You can use the nut combinations that you have on hand.  I was able to source chopped peanuts and almonds at a kosher grocery store in the city, so that was a bonus. You can also leave the honey out completely, if desired.  
Yield:  15 serv. or 25 bars 
272.3/163.4 calories
7.5/4.5 g protein
23.6/14.1 g fat
6.8/4.1 g net carbs