Chocolate Chip Walnut Granola Bars

There are so many benefits to making your own granola bars: they are easy to make, easy to customize, have less preservatives and are much less expensive than store-bought, and are delicious warm out of the oven. This recipe is very flexible: swap out the walnuts and chocolate chips for anything you like: dried fruit, pecans, cinnamon chips (just keep it to a cup combined, so that the bars still hold together). You may also swap out the honey for molasses or maple syrup. I adapted this recipe from one posted by pregocook on allrecipes.com.

2 c rolled oats
1 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
3/4 t ground cinnamon
1/2 c walnuts
1/2 chocolate chips
3/4 t salt
1/2 c honey
1 egg, whisked
1/2 c canola oil
2 t vanilla extract
parchment paper

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper, so that the bottom is covered and the paper travels up the sides of the pan by at least an inch.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients (oats to salt).
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add all of the wet ingredients (molasses to vanilla extract). Mix thoroughly.
4. Dump the mixture into the prepared pan. Cut another piece of parchment paper that covers the pan and use it to press down on the mixture, to spread it evenly in the pan. Once the mixture covers the entire bottom of the pan and feels evenly distributed, lift off the parchment paper and discard.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the ends begin to turn golden at the edges. Let cool for about half an hour (but not too long — they will be harder to cut).
6. Lift the bars out of the baking tray and onto a cutting board, using the edges of the parchment paper as handles. Cut into 16 bars using a heavy sharp knife. Let cool completely before storing.