Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 4 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1/3 cup light olive oil
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chip
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 spread oats onto an un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
• 3 mix oil, honey and vanilla in a large bowl.
• 4 add cooled oats, chocolate chips and nuts (if using) and mix well. (note: if the oats are still warm at all, the chocolate chips will melt.).
• 5 line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and mist with oil.
• 6 spread the mixture evenly onto the parchment.
• 7 lay a sheet of waxed paper over the mixture and press to compact. (i use the palms of my hands to start, and then i use the bottom of a drinking glass to make the surface as smooth as possible.).
• 8 remove the waxed paper and use a rubber spatula to press in any of the oats that may have "straggled" up the sides of the dish.
• 9 bake for 20 minutes.
• 10 cool completely and lift parchment from the dish.
• 11 cut into 16 bars.