Granola bars are a great picnic snack when you want something chewy, wholesome and not too sweet. They don't fall apart or crumble easily, and they stay fresh when wrapped in plastic for almost a week, so you can make them ahead. Use whatever combination of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits you or your kids or picnic guests like - sticking to the proportions below. You'll find most of the ingredients in grocery stores or health food stores.

3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
1/4 cup chopped almonds, pecans or walnuts
2 tablespoons flax seeds
2 tablespoons unsalted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins, dried cherries, cranberries or any other chopped dried fruit.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, making sure that the foil is tucked into all the corners and that there is at least 1 inch overhanging the top of the pan on all sides.

Spread the oats, nuts, flax seeds, and sunflower or pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and bake them until they are lightly toasted, stirring once or twice with a spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the mixture cool completely.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl.

Combine the oil and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and mix them until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until it is just combined. Stir in the oat mixture until well combined. Stir in the raisons or dried fruits.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake the bars until they are set, 25-30 minutes. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.

To remove the bars from the pan, grasp the overhanging foil on either side of the pan, lift out the bars and place them on a cutting board. Cut them into about 16 squares.

You can make this picnic snack ahead of your picnic day, and keep everything in airtight container for about 5 days.

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