Christine’s Awesome Granola Bars

Ingredients

• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 2 scoops of vanilla protein powder
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• ½  cup dark chocolate chips
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (or use recipe below for the Lower Sugar Version.)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 340 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Grease a 9×13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats and protein powder until thoroughly combined.  Next add the coconut, dark chocolate chips, and walnuts and combine.  Then add the sweetened condensed milk and butter and stir until the mixture is thoroughly moistened.  Press flat into the prepared pan. (Tip – put the can of sweetened condensed milk in a pan of hot water for a few minutes before adding.  It will help it to mix easier.)
3. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes in the preheated oven, depending on how crunchy you want them.  Lightly browned just around the edges will give you moist, chewy bars.  Let cool for 5 minutes, cut into squares then let cool completely before serving.  I coat my pizza cutter with butter spray and use it to cut the bars.  Makes 16 bars.

Lower Sugar Sweetened Condensed Milk

• ½  cup Domino Light (which is half sugar, half stevia)
• 1 cup dry powdered milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. butter

1. Put Domino Light & powdered milk in a blender
2. Put water & butter in a microwaveable dish & let it come to a boil in your microwave; about 45-60 seconds.  Keep an eye on it.
3. Add water/butter mixture to mixer & blend until combined.  Scrape sides if you need to & blend again.

Nutritional Information for Lower Sugar version (per bar, 1/16 if the recipe)

Calories – 204; Carbs – 27 grams; Fiber – 2 grams; Protein – 8 grams