Remember Eat-More candy bars? I have not eaten one for many years, but the old cowboy commercial with the skipping record has been burned into my brain since childhood. The slogan back in the Eighties was "A Good Chew - And Peanuts Too." I wasn't a huge fan of Eat-More bars back then, to be honest; if I received any for Halloween I probably would have traded them, and I certainly wouldn't spend my allowance on them during weekly after-school trips to the corner store.
Finally! A Nut-Free Granola Bar That's Safe For School
Recently, a good friend sent me a recipe for homemade Eat-More bars, asking if I could hack it for her. This - requests for recipes from readers - is one of my very favourite parts of this job. I knew exactly what my friend wanted: a healthier candy bar that took her household allergies to nuts, corn, and dairy into account. Your wish is my command, I thought, tying on my apron and gathering my ingredients.
These homemade, nut-free Eat-More bars are very easy to put together, but I should warn you - they are addictively delicious! Although I'm not a fan of the original, these bars are to die for. I whipped up a batch for my friend, taking a small sample for myself - quality control, if you will. Then I took another sample. And then another sample. Then I realized if I didn't package these bars up immediately I would eat them all in very short order. That's when the name struck me as being very appropriate: once you eat one, you want to eat more.
Ingredients
Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt honey and chocolate chips together over low heat, stirring frequently.
Add tahini, and stir until smooth. Remove from heat.
Stir in oatmeal and pumpkin seeds. Using a spatula, spread mixture onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet to a 1/2 inch thickness. HINT: lightly spraying or wiping the spatula with oil will ensure the mixture won't stick, but will spread smoothly.
Place baking sheet in the freezer for 30-45 minutes, or until firm enough to cut into bars.
Cut into bars or squares, and eat more!
Want more copycat recipes? Try my Homemade Dairy-Free Dole Whip, my Healthy Homemade Fudgsicles, or my take on Tim Horton's Cranberry Blueberry Bran Muffins.
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