This no bake granola bar recipe is the perfect solution for using up all those odds and ends taking up space in your pantry.
The end is near.
The end of the year that is.
2017 has been pretty good, but super hectic. I’ve been bustling around creating gorgeous images, testing recipes and traveling near and far to meet new friends and learn new things. Meanwhile, my pantry has been absorbing the aftermath of all my creativity.
With each shoot I work on, I’m left with a pinch of this, a tablespoon of that, half a bag of something, or a bit of leftover whatever. Not being one to throw away perfectly good stuff, I usually find a spot for it in my pantry thinking I’ll find a use for it later.
Well news flash: I never find a use for any of it.
Until now.
This SUPER EASY no bake granola bar recipe literally wiped out the majority of the odds and end in my pantry. I also tested them with maple syrup and agave nectar, and while they didn’t hold together as well as the honey version, they still tasted good, and knocked out two additional items from my crowded pantry.
I’m a pretty good purger of stuff most of the time, but I love to start the new year on a clean slate, so come fall/winter, I begin to obsessively throw stuff out (donate, recycle, all of the above)
It’s the time of the year when you finally realize what summer items you actually DIDN’T wear this year so those things have to go, along with all the stuff you wore to death in the summer. Next up comes the winter items that you never realized were so worn out last year, and all the things you know you’ll never put on again this winter.
Old coats
Old shoes
Socks with holes
Moving on to other rooms of the house; tattered old towels, books you’ll never read again, dog toys that have seen better days……..
you get the picture.
If you’re ready to get your new years cleaning started off early, and want to free up some valuable real estate in your pantry, give this simple no bake granola bar recipe a try.
More easy no bake recipes
Clean Out Your Pantry Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup nuts, roughly chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc.
- 3/4 cup miscellaneous add-ins coconut flakes, chocolate chips, marshmallows, sprinkles, whatever you have in your pantry you want to get rid of
Instructions
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Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
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In a small saucepan combine honey, butter, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add vanilla and salt. Allow mixture to cool for 10-15 minutes.
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In a large bowl combine oats, nuts and add-ins. Pour honey mixture over the top and stir to combine. Make sure none of the oats are dry.
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Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and press mixture into pan. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into desired size bars. Store in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
These bars are easily frozen and will last quite a while in the fridge. I tried this recipe with both agave nectar and maple syrup in place of the honey. While the bars tasted delicious, they did not hold together as well as they did with the honey.
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