Granola Bars Reinvented - In the Round!

I love tried and true recipes .......... all dressed up in new clothes! That's exactly what these fun Granola Rounds are................

I have a favorite granola recipe that I've been making for what seems like forever. It's loaded with oats and seeds and not too much oil. It always receives rave reviews and I make it with all sorts of variations.

Not too long ago, I decided to try something new with it. I used a little less oatmeal, scooped tablespoons of the unbaked granola into muffin pans and compressed them to make delicious round granola bars. It took a bit of tweaking, but I've got the technique down pat and it's all set for you!

I like to slip these into small ziplock bags - they're perfect for grabbing as a snack on the run, for school or work lunches or to go along with that morning coffee. They'd be beautiful on a platter at your next brunch besides bowls of Greek yogurt and fresh fruit. I'm sure you'll come up with all kinds of other wonderful ideas for these delicious, crunchy Granola Rounds..

Granola Rounds

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups rolled oats, old fashioned
½ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds*
¼ cup dried fruit, optional - I used dried currants
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Generously spray two muffin pans with baking spray. Don't put the spray away yet, you will be using it in a little while.

2. Whisk together brown sugar, honey, oil, salt, and vanilla.

3. Mix together oats, almonds, sesame and flax seeds in a medium bowl. Pour liquid over dry ingredients and stir until well combined. After you think it's well combined, stir one more time as you really want the oat mixture coated with the syrup mixture.

4. Divide the oat mixture into the 24 muffin cups, about 1 generous tablespoon into each cup. Using the baking spray can cover (it's the perfect size), turned upside down, compress the oat mixture by pressing each one several times to create a very flat surface. (If you don't use cooking spray, be sure to grease your pans well and then use something round and flat to compress the granola with.) Bake at 250˚F. for 30 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and compress rounds again with the top of the cooking spray can. Return to oven and bake another 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and press one more time on the top of each round with your upside down cooking spray can. Cool for 10 minutes, then with a thin bladed knife gently pop each round out of it's cup. Cool on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container or in small plastic zippered bags for snacks on the go.

Notes:
~ *Be sure to use ground flax seeds. I used to use the whole seeds but found out that you lose much of the nutritional value as the seeds are not absorbed as well as the ground flax.

~ I like to double this recipe - I make 2 dozen granola rounds and a pan of regular loose granola as well. For the regular granola, just spread it out on a sheet pan and bake in the same oven as the Granola Rounds, but leave it in the oven a bit longer until nice and golden. Leave to cool on the pan, then break apart into clumps and store in an airtight container.

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