Cocoa Orange Granola Bars

Once you start making your own granola bars, there really is no going back to store-bought ones. Who needs convenience?

I had leftover juice from cooking orange-glazed tofu, and when I saw this recipe I knew I had found the perfect use for it. These bars held together really well, had a strong tang from the orange and a solid chocolatey undertone. I didn’t bother with the orange peel (pure laziness) and used pecans instead of walnuts. Next time, I’ll add in a few chocolate chips to kick up the chocolate flavour.

Cocoa Orange Granola Bars
Adapted from Anja’s Food 4 Thought

1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp grated orange peel
3/4 cup dried fruit (e.g. apricots, raisins, dates)
1 1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 8 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients apart from orange juice and honey until well combined. In another bowl, combine orange juice and honey. Stir into the dry ingredients until well mixed and let stand for 10-15 minutes.

Spread the batter evenly into baking dish, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch high. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges are golden brown.