Easy Granola Bars

Pour the oats, hemp hearts (or other mix-in), and salt into a large bowl and stir well, then set it aside. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray and press a square of parchment paper into the bottom. (The oil will hold the parchment paper in place, so it doesn't move around later.) Make sure these two things are done first, before you move to the next step, because this recipe moves quickly. 2. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the honey to a boil. As soon as you see large bubbles forming around the edge of the pan, set a timer and let the honey boil for 1 minute without stirring. 3. Remove from the pan of honey from the heat and stir in the peanut butter immediately. As soon as the mixture is smooth, pour it over the oats. 4. Use a spatula to stir quickly, coating the oats evenly with the peanut butter mixture. It will harden as it cools, so it may become more difficult to stir as it cools down. (Just be patient and keep stirring.) 5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, and press it very firmly into the bottom. Place the pan in the fridge for freezer to cool quickly. Once they feel firm to the touch (about 10 minutes in the freezer) then use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and slice them into 12 pieces. You can also make smaller, bite-sized pieces by cutting those bars in half. 6. Drizzle the top of each granola bar with melted chocolate, if desired. Once the chocolate has hardened, they are ready to serve. These granola bars can be kept at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months if you'd like to make a larger batch. They can thaw overnight in the fridge. 7. prep23 mins 8. cook2 mins 9. total25 mins