Homemade Granola Bites

 In our family's ongoing efforts to eat fewer processed foods, I've been trying to make more of our food from scratch and this week at Recipe Shoebox is dedicated to spotlighting some from-scratch food for the lunch box!   Although I was initially worried that my kids would be resistant to our new healthier lunches this year, but in fact my kids are not only loving the variety, but also loving that they are more participatory than ever in what they're eating.  I handed this recipe over to my eleven-year-old daughter who whipped up a big double-batch of these for the first week of school.  I loved that these were bite-size, wholesome,  and not too sweet (especially if you reduce the brown sugar like I did).    Enjoy!

 recipe source:  Mommy's Kitchen

Click here for printable recipe. 

Posted by Lara. 

The ingredients:

2- 1/2 cups quick or old fashioned oats
1/2 cup rice krispies or puffed brown rice cereal ( I used brown rice krispies from Whole Foods)
2  Tbs. flax seed
1 Tbs. wheat germ
1/2  cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar (I reduced this to 1/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together, except chocolate chips. Start with a spoon and then mix by hand until everything is blended well. 

If your mixture seems dry after mixing add a little more coconut oil or honey. Add a little at a time until the mixture starts to come together. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.

Using your hands or the back of a spoon, press the mixture firmly into a mini muffin pan that has been sprayed with non stick baking spray.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-13 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to sit in pan for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from pan with mini off set metal spatula and enjoy. 

Store in airtight container.

Enjoy!