Granola Lunch Box Bites:

I find building a lunch for my picky little eater every day is always a challenge. (Boring!)
The kid does not enjoy sandwiches
Despises Peanut Butter
OUr Kid is a snack plate Hero
Maybe...Probably...okay SO its totally  my own fault
I like making snack plates with lots of colour and fun variety
I can't help it
Food is SO pretty
This would be a common day snack plate:

SINCE I am not sure how I would pack this snack into a lunch kit I have to come up with some pretty tricky ways to build a lunch that Bodo boy will eat.
Lately he has started to really like granola bars.
Since I would rather make them than buy them
realizing store bought bars would be loaded with preservatives
Plus making a batch could only save money
I set out to find a recipe that would be a hit
ENTER GRANOLA BITES
I don't know if any of you have discovered silicone muffin cups...but they are so rad
no more paper cups or worse scrubbing muffin tins (The WORST)
These work great for this project.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C. quick oats
1/2 C. crisp rice cereal (I used Kashi Honey Sunshine cereal)
1/2 C. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C melted unsalted Butter
1/4 C honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
* optional: ground flax seed (I use 3 heaping Tbs)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix together all ingredients EXCEPT for the chocolate chips - keep those out for now 
Mix the goodies together really REALLY well.
I started with a wooden spoon then ended up mixing with my hands.
Take your time to mix it all up. This ensures you get it combined plus gives the dry time to soak up some of the moist wet ingredient.
If your mixture seems dry after mixing then you may need to add a little more melted butter and/or honey add only a teaspoon at a time - until it starts to clump up a little.
It may be hard to tell, but can you see how some of the granola mixture is starting to cling and ball then it is ready.  Not too wet, not too dry..NOW you can stir in your chocolate chips (maybe even mini marsh mellows ...can you say Rocky Road yeah!) 

Holding the mini muffin cups, scoop in yummy granola mixture. 
Use a spoon or your hands to really press the stuff into each muffin cup.
Place muffin cups onto cooky sheet or into muffin tins.
Place your beautiful bites into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. 
They are ready to remove from oven when the tops are golden. 
If they don't cook long enough they may not hold their shape. 
If they cook too long they will get too dry (not to mention they can burn) and may not hold their shape. 

Let the granola bites cool completely. Just leave 'em alone for a few hours so they can set. Then, they are done! 
So easy.
I wrapped mine up so I could easily toss them into the lunch kit 
I love pre prepped food to make my week run so much smoother!
Enjoy 
XO
Asia Girl