I am thinking of the terrible events that happened today……My thoughts are with everyone in Boston. I am sending lots of love to Massachusetts. Stay safe everyone.

Yesterday we had Needle Felting Gnomes with Rachel Gerowe of Red Barn Originals. I made some granola bars to share with the girls and I promised to share our Needle Felting Snack with everyone…

Here is it.. Gluten Free Dairy Free Dark Chocolate Cherry Granola Bars ❤ 

adapted from a recipe for energy bars from Group Recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups gluten free rolled oats
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup Gluten free Bobs Red Mills all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate morsels I used dairy free chocolate chips.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup cherries

How to make it

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheet or large pyrex dish with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients: oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, baking soda, chocolate morsels and salt. Add honey, oil and vanilla extract, plus dried cherries. Mix well and spoon into baking pan. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press mixture firmly into the pan until evenly distributed and smooth on top.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until bars are slightly darker at the edges than the center. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Cut with a serrated knife into 3-by-1-inch bars.
• Wrap individually in sandwich bags, saran wrap, or store in an airtight container.

You can add nuts, different fruits, different chocolate, you could make these with gluten or with milk chocolate. There are a million different ways to do it! Sometimes I add coconut.

And here are some photos from our class… If it looks like fun and you want to join us… we are having a second class on Thursday Evening from 6:30- 8:30!!! I am totally taking it! The gnomes came out sooo cute. (I can’t promise we will have any granola bars.)