Cranberry Almond Coconut Granola Bars

After making last night's dinner a little too spicy for my liking I wanted that little satisfying something to munch on. The Hubs requested something "barish"  and not "muffiny". I requested something healthier and not full of processed sugars. The compromise? Beautiful, chewy, sweet and nutty granola bars. I added a couple squares of Cadbury Dark Chocolate on of the Hubs side of the 8 x 8 baking pan to satisfy his sweet tooth. You can easily substitute the nuts/dried fruit mixture for your own favorites.

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 2/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raw slivered almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 lemon zested
Dark chocolate (optional)

*Hint* Measure and pour your oil before the honey, and the honey will slide right out of your measuring cup.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. I found that your hands work best for this step. Firmly press mixture in a 8 x 8 square baking dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are barely brown. Overcooking the bars with result in a more crumbly texture. After bars come out the oven use a spatula to press the bars down. Allow bars to cool before cutting. Store in the refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from My Humble Kitchen