Sprouted Nut & Seed Granola Bars

Folks, we’ve officially made these granola bars three times in the past two weeks and I can honestly say, we’re addicted! My two-year-old is the biggest fan and I love that these are made with sprouted nuts and seeds for easier digestion and the best part is that they’re sweetened with dates so there’s no refined sugar. These are something I feel really good about serving my little one and have loved having on hand throughout the week. I think they’ll last a long while too, but we fly through them so fast that I haven’t seen what happens after a week on the counter. I’d imagine these would last up to a full month in the fridge, but I can’t confirm that just yet.

I know I’ve mentioned in the past that I strive to have snacks and meals that meet the “FFP” model (fat, fiber, protein) so that blood sugar stays stable after meals and snacks. Of course that doesn’t always happen but it’s something I keep in mind when deciding what to serve my little girl throughout the day. I know what happens if she’s had too much sugar and carbs and not enough fat and protein (hello meltdown central!) so keeping that “FFP” framework in mind has really helped when it comes to meal and snack planning each week. These bars fit the bill as they are loaded with plenty of fat, fiber and protein. They’re awesome thrown into a lunchbox for daycare or simply in a backpack out in the farm field. We’ve played around with spices and my favorite version to date is vanilla and cardamom. Feel free to swap out the cardamom for cinnamon if you wish (which we’ve made and I think is also really tasty!)

I hope you all love these bars as much as we do! You can find sprouted nuts and seeds at a lot of grocery stores or specialty stores these days. We really love supporting Lark Ellen Farm. They have a lot of sprouted nuts and seeds to choose from.

A few things to keep in mind. Depending on the size of pan you use the baking time might be a bit longer if the bars are in a smaller pan and as a result are thicker. These granola bars or on the “softer” side and less crispy (which I personally love and they make for easier eating for a toddler) The bars do firm up a bit after you remove them from the oven so let them rest for an hour or so before cutting (of course you must take a tiny corner piece while the bars are warm just to have a taste test!) But after an hour or two on the counter they’ll be slightly firmer and easier to slice. If you prefer a crispier granola bar bake them in a larger pan and smooth the mixture out so that it’s thinner. If you really want to get serous about your granola bar making I’ve heard great things about these granola bar molds that have great reviews! However, I’m happy enough with the result from a regular baking pan that I think I’ll stick to that now.

With all of that in mind, grab your favorite baking helper and have fun making these tasty bars (my toddler loves taste testing the batter and so do I!) This is definitely a fun recipe to get you little ones involved in.

Happy granola bar making everyone!