Chicken Satay with SunButter “Peanut” Sauce

Is it just me or does 2014 seem to be passing at warp speed?  Maisie’s 9th birthday has come and gone, Halloween with our adorable fart-gun-toting minion has passed and today marks the 8 year referral-versary of the first time we laid eyes on a picture of our A-Maisie-ing Maisie, and though Thanksgiving is still over three weeks away, all the stores have decked the isles with all things Christmas.  Today is also Secret Recipe Club reveal day!  This month for SRC we were assigned Jess’ blog, Inquiring Chef.  Jess, her husband and adorable 6 month old twin girls live in Bangkok so her blog is filled with the sights, sounds and recipes of Thailand…and other interesting travels and tastes too!  I’ll bet that time is flying for Jess too as it was just a few months back, when her cutie-patootie girls were just a mere 6 weeks old, that she cooked from our blog, making one of Maisie’s favorite treats, Oatmeal, Cashew & Chocolate Granola Bars. 

We here in the Cook Lisa Cook home adore Thai food so there were dozens of recipes that we wanted to make.  Many of Jess’ recipes, though a bit different, mirrored ones that we’ve already made. Jess has a Tom Yam Gung (Spicy Prawn Soup) similar but different to my Tom Yam Ghoong (Spicy Shrimp Soup), My Red Curry Chicken is almost identical to Jess’ Red Curry Salmon (going to have to try this as we adore Red Curry Chicken and know it would be delicious on salmon!)  Then there are the variations on another soup, my Thai Chicken Noodle Soup and Jess’ Thai Style Chicken Noodle Soup.  We both also enjoy tasty drinks with Jess’ Mango Lassi and my slightly spicier Mango Lassi.  How we would love to live and eat at Jess’s home as there were so many other delicious looking and sounding recipes which totally enticed us.  We looked at making Jess’ Thai Chili Eggplant, Thai Shrimp Salad, and her Thai Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps and we really must try making some Nam Prik Pao instead of always buying it.  Oh, and don’t her Chocolate Banana Tarts just look divine!!  In the end we decided to make one of our favorite treats, which we’ve never made at home, Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce.

I of course made a couple of changes to Jess’ recipe to put it more inline with our dietary restrictions, the most notable was using SunButter in place of peanut butter.  Our other small changes included, replacing the sugar with a whole Medjool date, subbing Coconut Aminos for the soy sauce and roasted cashews for the peanuts.  Jess presented her Chicken Satay with two dipping sauces but we chose to omit her Sweet & Tart Thai Dipping Sauce, though delicious, it’s predominantly sugar so better for us to avoid.  Following Jess’ recipe was easy and the taste was… well, I was going to say just as good, but honestly it was SO much better than any Chicken Satay we’ve had previously.  All of us gobbled the chicken and sauce up with the only complaint being that we all wanted more!  A couple of notes if you plan to make this at home.  Sometimes finding fresh galangal and fresh turmeric can be difficult so when we do find it, we purchase extra, wash and dry it, and store it in a sealed bags in the freezer.  Then when needed for a recipe we easily grate it right from frozen.  If you can’t find galangal feel free to substitute fresh ginger and if needed, dried turmeric for fresh.   

Chicken Satay with SunButter “Peanut” Sauce  (Adapted from here)

Chicken:

• 2 small skinless, boneless chicken breast (about 8 oz.)
• 1 lemongrass stalk, bottom 2 inches only (discard top green stalk)
• 2 1-inch pieces of fresh turmeric, peeled (substitute 2 tsp. ground turmeric if preferred)
• 2 peels of fresh lime zest
• 1 tsp. fresh grated galangal (or fresh ginger) 
• 1 tsp. ground cumin 
• 1 Medjool date, pit removed  
• 1 TBS. Coconut Aminos 
• 3 TBS. full-fat coconut milk 
• 6 whole roasted cashews

Thinly slice chicken into equal strips, about ¼ inch thick and several inches in length.  Except for the chicken, combine all the remaining ingredients in a food processor  and pulse until mixture becomes a paste and only small pieces of the ingredients remain. Transfer the paste to a bowl and add the chicken, stirring to evenly coat. Refrigerate and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 hours.

Thread a bamboo skewer through each piece of chicken. Grill the chicken skewers on an outdoor grill or a grill pan, until cooked through. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce, recipe below.

SunButter “Peanut” Sauce:

• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk, divided
• 2 Medjool dates, pits removed 
• 1/2 cup finely crushed roasted cashews
• 2 TBS. tamarind paste  
• 1 TBS. plus 2 tsp. Coconut Aminos 
• 1/4 tsp. curry powder (I used “hot” but mild works too) 
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

In a blender, place 1/4 cup of the coconut milk and add the Medjool dates, process to a smooth paste.  Heat the remaining 3/4 cup of coconut milk until boiling, stirring continuously to prevent it from boiling over, and allow it to boil for 1 minute.  Reduce the heat to a low simmer  Add the coconut milk/date mixture and all remaining sauce ingredients. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Enjoy!!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Asian Pork Chops 
Mango Salsa 
Pomegranate Molasses Salad Dressing 
Beef Keema  
Roasted Grape Tomato, Garlic & Poblano Ragu
Mexican Feast: Cream of Ancho Chile Soup, Roasted Poblano Burger with Chile de Arbol Guacamole & Pork Crusted Baked Poblano Fries 
Zesty Zucchini Skillet 
Garlic Seafood in Coconut Milk 
Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles
Fijian Ceviche
Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes   
Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Mushrooms 
Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella Crêpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

Check out the new SRC blog for more exciting recipes from past reveals

An InLinkz Link-up

Thai Massaman Curry for the Year of the Snake 新年快樂

I don’t know what it is this year, holidays are sneaking up on me before I realize but between being busy with Maisie and my not seeming to be able to get my act together, they are passing by without much fanfare here in the Cook Lisa Cook house.  This year for Chinese New Year, the Year of the Snake, we did…well nothing special.  Instead of going to one of the big celebrations Maisie chose to spend the day doing what she loves best, playing and doing gymnastics with one of her besties.  Since we were home, and it was a holiday, a delicious dinner was a must.  As it worked out I was contacted by Foodie Blogroll and Thai Kitchen and asked to make a dish using some of  the Thai Kitchen’s products.  If you follow this blog at all, you know that we’re huge curry lovers so that’s the direction I chose to go and thanks to the package from Thai Kitchen and my stocked pantry I had everything I needed in the house.

Though there seem to be a lot of ingredients in my Massaman Curry, it’s simple to prepare and came out creamy delicious with a nice bit of heat, a perfect Chinese New Year or any day comfort food meal.   

新年快樂 , Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái!

From Thai Kitchen:

“Thai Kitchen and Simply Asia offer a complete line of Asian ingredients and convenience items, including sauces, curry pastes, rice noodles, fish sauce, coconut milk, noodle bowls, and more. Most items are free of gluten, artificial colors/flavors and MSG – more reason to celebrate a New Year, and new you! Our ingredients and recipes offer simple solutions to spice up any celebration - and what better time to “thai” new dishes than Chinese New Year? The traditional 15-day celebration kicks off February 10, 2013, and is a perfect reason to gather a group of friends and try tasty Asian cuisine.”  Check out Thai Kitchen and explore their amazing Asian cuisine ingredients!  Follow Thai Kitchen on Twitter at @Thai_Kitchen

Thai Massaman Curry

• 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin bite-sized pieces 
• 2 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
• 2 medium carrots, roll cut into chunks
• 2 TBS. coconut oil, or oil of your choice
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 4 TBS fresh grated ginger
• 6 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 Thai red chilis, sliced, use more or less depending on your heat tolerance  
• 1/2 cup Cheaters Chicken Soup or low sodium chicken stock  
• 1  TBS. lemongrass powder 
• 1 tsp. turmeric 
• 1/4 cup ground, unsalted dry-roasted cashews
• 1 tsp. ground coriander 
• 1 tsp. ground cumin 
• 1/2 tsp. ground white pepper  
• 1/8 tsp. cardamom  
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste  
• 3/4 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian stores)
• 2 TBS. Thai Kitchen fish sauce 
• 1 TBS. coconut palm sugar, Whey Low Gold or brown sugar 
• 3 bay leaves 
• 2 14 ounce cans Thai Kitchen coconut milk
• 3-4 mini baby bell peppers, mix of red, yellow & orange, thinly sliced
• 2 medium plum tomatoes, sliced lengthwise into 8 wedges each
• 1/3 cup whole unsalted dry roasted cashews
• fresh cilantro

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil and then the onion, ginger, garlic and chili. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes to release the fragrance.

Add the chicken stock, lemongrass, turmeric, ground cashews, coriander, cumin, white pepper, cardamom, tamarind paste, shrimp paste, fish sauce, palm sugar and bay leaves. Stir with each addition and bring to a light boil.

Add the coconut milk, potatoes & carrots. Stir and bring back up to a boil. Reduce heat until you get a good simmer.  Simmer uncovered 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes & carrots are tender. Add the chicken, red pepper and tomato during last 10-15 minutes of cooking.

Taste test the curry, adding more fish sauce for increased flavor/saltiness, more chili if you want it spicier. If too sour, add a little more sugar. If too salty or sweet add more tamarind. If too spicy, add more coconut milk.

Stir in the whole cashews.  Serve over rice and add fresh cilantro if desired..

Enjoy!

At Thai Kitchen and Simply Asia, we’ve made your favorite Asian flavors available to enjoy anytime and anywhere. From noodles to sauces and seasonings, coconut milk to fish sauce, our premium products deliver restaurant-quality Asian cuisine in minutes. Our ingredients and recipes offer simple solutions to spice up any celebration - and what better time to “Thai” new dishes than Chinese New Year? The traditional 15-day celebration kicks off February 10, 2013, and is a perfect reason to gather a group of friends and try tasty Asian cuisine. From mild to spicy, appetizers to dessert, Thai Kitchen and Simply Asia have something for every taste bud, sure to please even the most discerning palates.

The aromatic essences. The exotic flavors. The abundant texture. There’s no culinary experience that compares to Asian cuisine – whether you’re preparing a meal for the whole family or looking for a quick snack, we’re here to bring the adventure to your kitchen.

Disclosures:

* This sponsorship is brought to you by Foodie Blogroll who we have partnered with for this promotion.  This is a compensated post but all the views and opinions expressed are my own and based upon my experiences with Thai Kitchen products.

White Chocolate Marshmallow Cranberry Cashew Bark

About a month ago I posted the following status on Facebook:  “The older I get, the less I enjoy, crave or even want chocolate. What's up with that?”   Most people commented that I must be sick or crazy and stated that they had the complete opposite problem.  I honestly don’t know what it is with me but I just haven’t been in a chocolate mood.  So when I saw that this month for the Improv Cooking Challenge our hostess Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker asked the participating bloggers to make any recipe of their choice using the two given ingredients of chocolate & marshmallows, I have to say, I was uninspired.  Though I could think of a way to use chocolate in a savory recipe, like my Fruit & Nut Turkey Chili, I just couldn’t work the marshmallows into anything savory.  I looked through dozens and dozens of sweet recipes and though lots of them looked interesting and good, they just left me cold and I couldn’t be bothered to make them. 

I almost decided to skip the challenge this month but I’ve been participating in the Improv Cooking Challenge for the past 14 months and I just didn’t want to break my streak.  In the end I decided to make a simple candy bark in flavors that Eammon would love and using ingredients that I had in the house.  Eammon adores both milk and white chocolate and as I had white in the house, that was the way I went.  I always keep marshmallows in the pantry as Maisie loves them as a little treat and as I was using white chocolate I decided to use the pretty pastel colored ones.  I also wanted something crunchy and chewy in the bark so after a raid on the panty, I chose to add some cashews and dried cranberries.  

White Chocolate Marshmallow Cranberry Cashew Bark

• 1 lb. good quality white chocolate
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup roasted cashews

Prepare a baking sheet, covered with either a Silpat, or aluminum foil.  Slowly and carefully melt the white chocolate either in a double boiler or in the microwave being careful not to scorch the chocolate.  Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, mix in the marshmallows, cranberries and cashews and immediately pour onto the prepared pan.  Spread and smooth the mixture as needed.  Refrigerate until the chocolate is set and then either cut or break into pieces.

Enjoy!

My previous Improv Cooking Challenge entries:

November 2012  Sweet Potatoes & honey: Sweet Potato Glass Noodles with Honey Garlic Lime Shrimp 
October 2012  Oatmeal & Raisins:  S’mores Granola Bars   
September 2012  Zucchini & Brown Sugar:  Zucchini with Onion & Brown Sugar 
August 2012  Tomatoes & Peppers:  French Fries Hash Browns 
July 2012  Corn & Butter:  Fritos Crusted Pollock 
June 2012  Cherries & Almonds:  Dried Cherry Almond Tart 
May 2012  Strawberries & Cream:  Strawberry Soup 
April 2012  Peanut butter & Jelly:  Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars 
March 2012  Potato & Cheese:  Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole 
February 2012  Ginger & Carrots:  Shrimp & Avocado Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing 
January 2012 Lemon & Sour Cream:  Ponderosa Lemon & Sour Cream Tart 
December 2011 Eggnog & Cranberries:  Eggnog Popovers with Cranberry Butter 
November 2011 Pumpkin & Cream Cheese:  Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake
October 2011 Caramel & Apples:  Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

S’mores Granola Bars

This month for the Improv Cooking Challenge our hostess Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker asked the participating bloggers to make any recipe of their choice using the two given ingredients of oatmeal and raisins.  Sure, oatmeal and raisins sounds easy enough but I just kept going round and round trying to decide what I want to make.  I finally decided to make something special for my Maisie as it’s her birthday month, and I totally can’t believe that she’s seven, so I figured that I’d spoil her even more than usual.  I of course had to keep her food allergies in mind so other than giving her a bowl of oatmeal with raisins, which I do many mornings, I put on my thinking cap to come up with something that she’d enjoy.  In the end it was Maisie, who without even knowing about my dilemma, came right out and told me what she wished I would make and it fit in perfectly with the challenge.  Maisie mentioned that I hadn’t made granola bars for her in a while and that she’d really enjoy some.  In the past I’ve made a couple of different bars for her including Oatmeal, Cashew & Chocolate Granola Bars and Crunchy Oat, Almond, Cashew & Pebbles Granola Bars and though she’s enjoyed both of those recipes and I’ve made them a number of times, she wanted something different.  I told Maisie that I needed to use oats and raisins but I asked her what else she wanted in her bars and she chose the ingredients.  Maisie asked for cashews, chocolate bits and mini marshmallows.  I also gave her a choice of what other cereal to add to the bars and she picked Rice Krispies.  When Maisie mentioned chocolate and marshmallows, my mind immediately thought of s’mores so that’s the flavor I was going after in making these bars.

 I used what I had in the house, made things up as I went along and in the end I’d say Maisie did a great job with her flavor choices and the bars came together easily as I made them no-bake so super simple to make.  Maisie and Eammon both loved the bars but Maisie did put in a request for next time, more marshmallows and chocolate bits.  We’ll have to see about that one as I tried to keep the “high sugar” items to a minimum but I’ll probably sprinkle the top of the bars with some extra of both next time because if she can see them, she’ll think that there’s a lot more there than there actually is.  In the end, this recipe is a keeper and a great, on the go breakfast or snack for my Maisie.

S’mores Granola Bars

• 5 pkgs. maple & brown sugar instant oatmeal
• 2 cups Rice Krispies
• 1/4 cup golden raisins 
• 1/4 cup Enjoy Life chocolate bits
• 1/2 cup mini marshmallows 
• 1/4 cup cashews
•   1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Prepare a 9 x 13 inch baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and lightly greasing it with either cooking spray or coconut oil.

In a large bowl mix together the oatmeal, Rice Krispies, raisins, chocolate bits, marshmallows and cashews and set aside.  In a microwave safe bowl combine the coconut oil, honey and brown sugar and microwave on high for 1 minutes.  Remove from the microwave and stir to combine then return to the microwave and cook on high for 2 more minutes.  Remove from the microwave a carefully mix.  Pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients and using a wooden spoon, mix until everything is well combined and the chocolate bits melt.  Add the contents of the bowl to the prepared pan and press the ingredients tightly into the pan.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until the bars are set.  Using the foil liner of the pan, lift the entire sheet of bars from the pan and onto a cutting board.  Remove the foil and cut into bars.  Wrap the bars individually in plastic wrap, parchment paper or wax paper and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Enjoy!

 

My previous Improv Cooking Challenge entries:

September 2012  Zucchini & Brown Sugar:  Zucchini with Onion & Brown Sugar 
August 2012  Tomatoes & Peppers:  French Fries Hash Browns 
July 2012  Corn & Butter:  Fritos Crusted Pollock 
June 2012  Cherries & Almonds:  Dried Cherry Almond Tart 
May 2012  Strawberries & Cream:  Strawberry Soup 
April 2012  Peanut butter & Jelly:  Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars 
March 2012  Potato & Cheese:  Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole 
February 2012  Ginger & Carrots:  Shrimp & Avocado Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing 
January 2012 Lemon & Sour Cream:  Ponderosa Lemon & Sour Cream Tart 
December 2011 Eggnog & Cranberries:  Eggnog Popovers with Cranberry Butter 
November 2011 Pumpkin & Cream Cheese:  Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake 
October 2011 Caramel & Apples:  Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

I was very excited this month when I received my Secret Recipe Club assignment as I was assigned Amy’s A Little Nosh, a blog which I have followed for a long time and one where, when I have my act together, I participate in her weekly Tastetastic Thursday blog hop.  Since I’ve been a long time reader of Amy’s blog it didn’t take me ages and ages to find a recipe that I wanted to make as I already had a few of hers saved in my “need to make” file.  For some reason most of the recipes included using chicken like her Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs, Sweet and Sour Chicken and the one I chose to make, Amy’s Chicken Salad.  Part of the reason I chose Amy’s Chicken Salad was, I was asked by Maisie’s gym to make lunch for the judges at a gymnastics meet the gym was hosting and they happened to request chicken salad on croissants so what better time to try out a new recipe.

One thing that I really liked about Amy’s recipe was that she made it sound adaptable to whatever added ingredients you’d choose to include.  I have to say that this chicken salad was the hands down best chicken salad I’ve ever eaten and it only got better the second day once all the flavors really came together.   I really loved the sweet little bites of apple and cranberry and the little added cinnamon crunch of the cashews was always a nice surprise.  The combination of yogurts, sour cream & mayonnaise gave a creamy richness and because I used some honey yogurt, just a touch of sweetness.  This is now my go-to chicken salad recipe and I know that this summer it will be served time and time again in wraps, sandwiches and atop salads.

Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad (Adapted from here) 

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless white meat “Rotisserie” Chicken, cut or pulled into small bite-size chunks
• 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries 
• 1 large Fuji apple, peeled, seeded & cut into 1/8-inch dice
• 1 cup coarsely chopped cinnamon cashews
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds 
• 6 oz. plain Greek yogurt
• 6 oz. honey Greek yogurt
• 8 oz. sour cream
• 8 oz. Hellmann’s real mayonnaise 

In a large bowl mix the yogurts, sour cream and mayonnaise together.  Add the chicken, dried cranberries, apple, cinnamon cashews and poppy seeds and mix together.  Enjoy immediately or for even better flavor, cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Enjoy!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts:

Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella Crêpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

Oatmeal, Cashew & Chocolate Granola Bars

I mentioned in my Crunchy Oat, Almond, Cashew & Pebbles Granola Bars post just how important it is for us to have granola bars that are “Maisie safe” as they are her go-to snack for school and gymnastics and her breakfast when we’re running late.  Though she liked the previous bars Maisie wasn’t in love with them so I asked her what would make them better.  Maisie said that they were too crisp and that she wanted chocolate bits in her granola bars.  So I changed up the recipe a bit and the end result was a big success with my sweetie girl.

I mixed all the ingredients in one bowl and then poured it all into a foil lined Slice Solutions Pan.

I then pressed in the divider and popped everything into the oven.

After 20 minutes in the oven the granola bars were all toasty and delicious smelling.

  We removed the divider to find 18 perfectly “cut” granola bars.

Maisie loves these Oatmeal, Cashew & Chocolate Granola Bars and couldn’t stop smiling as she enjoyed her food allergy “safe” Granola bars.  I’m smiling too because now we have a grab-and-go snack that is healthy, safe and Maisie approved.

Oatmeal, Cashew & Chocolate Granola Bars

2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup Cocoa Pebbles
1 cup Rice Krispies 
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread, melted
1/2 cup chocolate bits 
1/2 cup salted cashews
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients together until combined. Press into a 9x13-inch pan lined with foil and then press divider insert through the mixture and leave in place.   Bake 18-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately remove the divider insert or if not using a divider, cool for 10 minutes and score into bars. Let it set completely and then cut into bars.  Peel the foil from the bars and then wrap the bars individually so that they’re an easy to grab snack on the go.

Enjoy!

Crunchy Oat, Almond, Cashew & Pebbles Granola Bars

Now that Maisie can’t eat things with wheat, egg whites or milk because of her food allergies I’ve been on the search to make convenience type foods that she can easily grab for breakfast or for a snack.  One of Maisie’s go-to foods has always been granola bars but after spending hours reading ingredient labels it seems that they all contain ingredients that she can’t have, unless I want to spend over $1 per bar and I’m just not willing to spend that much on something I can make myself.  I read dozens of recipes online and then thought about what Maisie would enjoy in a snack bar and these bars are my first attempt. 

These bars are really delicious and crunchy and all the adults loved them…and I’ve snacked on way too many.  At first Maisie wasn’t totally thrilled with them but by the second one they grew on her and then she started snacking on them and enjoying them too.  I think that Maisie is used to a chewier less crispy bar so the next batch I’ll add some rice crisps to lighten them up somewhat and hopefully we’ll have a winning recipe because granola bars are a huge snack for Maisie both at school and at the gym so we need to find that winning recipe for my girl.  I would though make these again because they’re really good and a great grab and stick in my purse snack on the go.

I used a 9-by-13-inch Slice Solutions Pan which worked wonderfully, making 18 perfect bars.

Crunchy Oat, Almond, Cashew & Pebbles Granola Bars

2 1/2 cups Oats
1/2 cup Cocoa Pebbles
1/2 cup Fruity Pebbles
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread, melted
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup salted cashews
1/4 cup Honey
1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients together until combined. Press into a 9x13-inch pan lined with foil and then press divider insert through the mixture and leave in place.   Bake 18-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately remove the divider insert or if not using a divider, cool for 10 minutes and score into bars. Let it set completely and then cut into bars.  Peel the foil from the bars and then wrap the bars individually so that they’re an easy to grab snack on the go.

Enjoy!