Granola Bars---who needs Quaker???

Here's another thrifty recipe. I buy my oats, chocolate chips, flour, and sugar in bulk (well, from a bulk barrel), making this recipe much cheaper and more satisfying than any purchased granola you could find.

Moreover, this recipe should be used as merely a springboard---make it your own! Add crasins, rasins, nuts, dried coconut, carob chips, or whatever else tickles your fancy. In this recipe, I chose sunflower seeds to feed my salt craving, and semi-sweet chocolate chips to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Reagents:

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4-1/3 cup honey (depends on how chewy you want them)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
handful sunflower seeds
1/2 TBS cinnamon (or more to taste)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper, or lightly grease.

2. In large bowl, combine oats, baking soda, flour, butter, vanilla, honey, cinnamon and brown sugar. Stir in chocolate chips and sunflower seeds (or any other ingredients of choice).

3. Gently press mixture into prepared pan, and bake for about 18-22 minutes until golden brown.

4. Cool for about 10-15 minutes before cutting into bars. Let the bars remain in the pan until completely cool.

Wrap individually in cling wrap, or serve immediately!