granola bars and beet cake

I have always wanted to make granola bars, but for some reason, they really intimidated me. But, recently, we have started Jackson going gluten free and with g-free granola bars at $5.00 a box, I figured I would try anything. I found a recipe online, but manipulated it a bit. These bars are so healthy. Full of protein and healthy fats. Kids love them! I love them! It was hard to stop eating them. And I think once you get the basic recipe down, than you can play with it and substitute ingrediants to your liking. Here is what I did:

2 cups oats
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
1/2 cup puffed rice
3/4 cup crushed peanuts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
mix together and heat on a cookie sheet for 5 minutes in a 400 degree oven...
just until they get toasty, not burned.
combine with 1 cup raisins or any dried fruit and 2 small fun size packs of m and ms
Set this aside

combine in a pan:
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup honey or 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp. almond extract
Heat until bubbly, stirring constantly
When hot, add to dry mix and press combined mixture into a 9 X 13 cake pan lined with waxed paper
Let cool. Cut when chewy..they will dry more, but are easier to cut after an hour. I cut in half vertically and than 10 rows horizontally. It made 20 bars! Way better than the 6 I get in my $5.00 box.

My other unbelievable recipe of the week was my chocolate beet cake. I was unsure of this one. With a whole cup of beets and 2 cups of carrots in it. But, my God...best chocolate cake ever. So moist and tasty. We all loved this one. Wish I could take credit for it, but cannot. It's a pinterest find. It's also gluten free:) Here's the link:
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Gluten-Free-Carrot-Beet-Cake-_with-Or-Without-Chocolate_-Recipezaar


Happy Eating!