Gluten-Free Almond Berry Granola Bars

As much as we love Two Moms in the Raw granola bars, I don't think right now is the best time to be paying $8 for a pack of 4 granola bars. There has been an official moratorium placed on all Two Moms in the Raw purchases, and I'm getting creative with our snacks around here. It's so funny the things you realize were "splurges" when you are reduced to no income...fair to say it's been a bit of an eye opener. I mean, I realized those suckers were expensive, but they really are just that good people. Plus, healthy food is much more important to us than clothes or other extravagant purchases, and I will sacrifice pretty much anything to have our kitchen stocked with clean whole foods.

Previous to both hubby & I developing a crack-like addiction to Two Moms products, I'd been making my own granola bars for a few years with a recipe I invented. I just hadn't attempted to modify the recipe and make any since going gluten-free. I wanted to find a way though, since I can make 16 granola bars with my homemade recipe for less than $5. 16 Two Moms bars would cost $32, so yeah, pretty big difference, especially when we are each eating one per day. Our Two Mom's habit was becoming it's own monthly expense. Ha!

Enter Namaste gluten-free flour into my life! This stuff is pretty amazing...

You can buy a big ole bag at Costco for cheap, and the label touts that you can use it cup for cup in place of regular flour in any recipe. I've experimented with quite a few things thus far and am impressed. The brownie recipe listed on the bag is EXCELLENT, and now I can add another great use to the list...


Em's Gluten-Free Almond Berry Granola Bars
 

Ingredients:
-2 cups old fashioned oats
-1 cup gluten-free flour (or regular...up to you)
-5 oz. bag sliced almonds
-5 oz. bag dried fruit (I use blueberry, cherry or regular Craisins)
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1 tsp. cinnamon
-3/4 tsp. salt
-1/2 cup canola oil
-1/2 cup agave nectar
-2 tsp. vanilla extract
-2 egg whites

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients, including dried fruit. Mix together with large spoon or baking spatula.

Step 2: Add oil, agave, vanilla, and egg whites. Mix well.

Step 3: Spray a 9 x 13 in. baking dish with non-stick cooking spray . Spread mixture firmly and evenly into dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into bars. (Makes soft & chewy granola bars).

Step 4: Store in airtight container. Makes 16 large bars or 32 smaller squares...you choose how big you want them.


I used to use whole wheat flour as well as wheat germ in this recipe, so I just replaced the flour, removed the wheat germ and added more almonds to make up for the reduction in dry ingredients. Worked like a charm. Seriously, these are the bomb!

I know there are quite a few people looking for healthy snacks, as well as those trying to go gluten-free. These are completely idiot proof...so easy to make and super easy clean-up. Just made some cherry almond today, and they smell scrumptious!