Traveling Companion: Granola Bars

I've tried many different recipes for granola bars, to which the mister can testify.  Many of them turned out to be too cake-like, too thick, not moist enough, or requiring far too many eggs (4 eggs, really?).  I used to eat chocolate chip granola bars for breakfast every day in high school, back when they were a quarter, with a side of Sunny D, and missed those thinner, flat, honey-oat packed bars of goodness.  Now I'm not about to tell you that I've managed to replicate that recipe, and I didn't want to, because I'm sure they were not very healthy even then, but I have a recipe that is more of a grown-up version.  They are compact, thin, emphasize oats, and so very versatile.  Did I mention quick and easy?  Well, they are that too, taking about 16 minutes to bake.

Ingredients:
1/4 C margaine
1 C brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 T honey
2 C oats
1 C flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 C raisins
2 T sunflower seeds (Optional)
pinch of ground cloves (Opt.)
1/2 C chopped apple (Opt.) 

To Make:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease the bottom of a rectangular cake pan
Cream the margarine and sugar
Add egg, cream with hand mixer
And honey, mix
Add baking soda, cinnamon and flour, mixing well
Add oats, raisins, mix to evenly distribute
Add other optional ingredients, be careful though, if you add the apple you will be pushing the limit of what this granola bar recipe can hold while still having enough dough to make everything stick together, you don't want to end up with a crumbly mess.
Press mixture onto the bottom of the cake pan, making sure there are no air pockets, and finishing with a level top.

Bake for 14-18 minutes, until firm but springy and a light golden brown
Cool completely in pan before slicing.

I've taken these for travel food many times, and it sure is nice to have a healthy-ish road snack, or one you can individually wrap and take with you on the plane.

Using dried apricots or other fruits is highly recommended too. 
Anyway, if you have been frustrated by not finding a good granola bar recipe that is simple and not full of unhealthy junk, I hope you will give this one a try, and enjoy!