Pumpkin, Almond, Chocolate Granola Bars (gluten Free)

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 5 cups old fashioned oats (for gf check pckg it hasn't been prepared with equipment which makes products containing gluten)
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup wheat germ (leave out for gluten-free bars)
• 1 cup dried fruit (i used apricots and cranberries)
• 1/2 cup toasted seeds (i used sunflower and pumpkin)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (i boiled a pumpkin, skinned it and pureed it in a food processor)
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f/180°c butter a 10” by 10” baking pan and line with baking paper.
• 2 in a large bowl, mix oats, spices, dried fruit, almonds, seeds, choc chips, wheatgerm, and salt together. set aside.
• 3 in a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth. pour over oats and stir well, until all of the oats are moist.
• 4 evenly press oat mixture into prepared pan. bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. cool for 15 minutes.
• 5 remove from the pan by lifting the parchment paper.
• 6 using a sharp knife, cut into bars.