Move Over, Quaker

There's a new granola bar in town! According to one of my new favorite websites, Foodfacts.com, Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip granola bars contain quite an interesting array of ingredients! Who knew?! First of all, and most alarming, they contain TBHQ. TBHQ is composed of butane, the main component of lighter fluid. YUM! When I typed "TBHQ" into the ingredient search toolbar on Foodfacts.com, over 1300 products were found including different types of potato chips, microwave popcorn, soups, and plenty of other things. I also discovered that the FDA only allows a 0.02% maximum of TBHQ in food because 1 gram can cause nausea, vomiting, tinnitus (ringing in ears), delirium, etc. 5 grams can cause death. Remind me to write a letter to the FDA thanking them for keeping such toxic ingredients out of our food! (Yeah right!) As if the TBHQ isn't enough to scare you off, the Quaker granola bars also contain artificial ingredients and BHT, another wonderful preservative. This is why I will continue to be one of those people in the aisle of the grocery store obsessively scanning the ingredient lists on packages. I refuse to be naive and ignorant to what the fabulous FDA is allowing companies to put in our food. Okay, I feel better know. 


So these are The Pink Kitchen version of Chewy Chocolate Chip granola bars. Minus ingredients that you can't pronounce or cause death. Not to mention, this recipe is going down in history up until now as the most delicious-smelling thing I have EVER made. I'm serious! Take a whiff once you add the vanilla to the butter/sugar/honey mixture. It's divine! It only gets better once you stir it into the oats! 

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars


Ingredients:


1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
4 Tbsp butter 
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips


Directions:


1. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking dish (I used a little dab of butter). Set aside.
2. Stir oats and rice cereal together in a large bowl. 

3. In a small saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar, and honey together over medium heat until bubbling. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

4. Pour melted ingredients over oat mixture and stir very well to coat. Pour oat mixture into prepared baking dish and press down. Use a square piece of parchment or wax paper the size of the dish and your hand to ensure the ingredients are tightly compacted. Sprinkle the top evenly with mini chocolate chips and press lightly with the parchment paper until chips adhere. 

5. Cool at room temperature for 2 hours, or until chocolate chips are set. Cut into bars and wrap in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. (Believe me, they won't last that long!)

Chester and I did not let a single drop of the sticky, honey mixture go to waste! Chester licked this bowl for about 20 minutes, and I scraped the saucepan out with a spatula! We are total oinkers, but we just couldn't help ourselves!