Playdate Special: Little Monsters Homemade Granola Bars

The boys measured all irresistible and delicious ingredients. They grated nuts and dried fruits, chose the granola mix,  and blended it all. Finally they ate the final result in the same playdate! Weeks before  they also designed the labels of their "Little Monsters" brand and could share the bars during a awesome camping trip with friends to Portola Redwoods Park.
Hooray - one day those delicious home made bars will be my treat to kids at Halloween.
But before I get to excited about this idea - and delirious-, about this possibility - let me share something else with you. This is the first recipe to celebrate the beginning of our second year online.
If you didn't have time yet to celebrate with us, don't forget to leave a comment at our anniversary post- you can be the lucky winner of a U$ 25 Amazon Card. Also, as a "goodie-bag" we are sharing a free e-booklet Spook Play Explore on the upper right of the screen. You just download it and have a collection of healthy soups and yummylicious treats.

Little Monsters Granola Bars

Adapted from Mark Bitman's Apricot Almond Granola Bars

1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup crispy brown rice cereal
1 cup your favorite granola mix
1 cup your favorite nuts and dried fruits mix (we used macadamia, cranberries, pineapple, almonds and cashew)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Canola oil for greasing
½ tsp cinnamon
2 tablespoons fine unsweetened dried coconut 

Invite the kids to measure and mix the dry portion of the bars: crispy rice cereal, granola, mix of fruits and nuts, salt, cinnamon and coconut. In our playdate,  we used a Progress nut chopper to grind nuts and fruits, which was a great challenge for them. Brush a baking dish or cookie sheet with oil and line it with plastic wrap. Melt almond butter, honey and vanilla in a saucer over medium heat for long enough to have all ingredients mixed into a paste, stirring it all with the help of a wood spoon or whisker. Add the wet paste to the dried ingredients and stir. Spread the granola mix evenly with the help of a spatula, and cover it. Refrigerate for at least one hour or more to achieve the ideal texture. Once ready, the bars will look like the ones from the packages. Remove the plastic film and cut the bars into any length and shape you like.