Gluten Free Granola Bars

 Warning: These bars are seriously addictive!

In fact, I think it's the cause of my recent 2lb weight gain. I simply cannot stop snacking on them.

 When you're on a restrictive daily diet like I am, there is always a challenge in finding healthy snacks.  Around 3 pm, I get so woozy and have a serious craving for anything sweet.  One day, I went to the kitchen, rifled through the panty, gathered ingredients and made granola bars. Since then, I've been experimenting with different recipes, all gluten free and dairy free. This recipe that I'm posting so far is my favorite. It's crunchy and sweet and delicately flavored.

 Heed the warning at the beginning at the post, these bars are addictive. I think it's the stickiness, crunchiness, hazelnut flavor, and  sweetness of course.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups gluten free toasted granola
1/3 cup dried cranberry
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup roasted unsalted cashews
1/3 cup roasted mixed nuts. ( walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts,almonds)
1 egg white
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp hazelnut extract

TIP: I used already toasted granola to save on time. I used Udi's gluten free granola for this recipe.  Here is a recipe for cranberry granola that can also be used to make these bars. I've actually made bars using this recipe but added more nuts and fruit. 

DIRECTIONS:

 Preheat oven to 325. 

Line a 9-by-13-inch  baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.

Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl.

Spread evenly on the baking sheet and bake until golden, about 20 minutes.

Cool slightly, then lift off the baking sheet using the foil and invert onto a cutting board.

Peel off the foil and cut into bars.

Wrap individually in plastic wrap.

I have to warn you guys, I had a bit of trouble removing it from the foil. It takes careful dedication to remove these and keep your bars intact. Well I think I let it cool too much before trying to remove them. By them time I had completely removed the foil, I'd eaten two bars lol.  And they taste so much better stale.

Well that's it. I won't be making these too often as I can't seem to have self control when these bars are around. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.