How to Make Better, Less Expensive Air Fryer Peanut Butter Granola Bars With Lots of Protein and That a Diabetic Can Eat (Kid Friendly!)

These granola bars are good and far less expensive to make than buying the commercial granola or "protein bars," which often are loaded with sugar and weird preservatives. This recipe is made with readily available ingredients and includes a substantial amount of protein as well as fiber. In moderation, the bars are fine if you're on a diabetic diet or want to "eat healthy." The bars also make great "kid treats," especially with a glass of milk. We like the bars for snacks, I like a bar before my early morning walk (i.e., before I've had breakfast and desperately need something to tide me over), and we like the bars crumbled over yogurt, fruit, or the morning oatmeal. The bars are crispy on the outside when you remove them from the pan, but they soften up if you store them for more than a day or so. You can re-crisp the bars in the air fryer, but we like them just fine a little softer. Enjoy!

How to Make Better, Less Expensive Air Fryer Peanut Butter Granola Bars With Lots of Protein and That a Diabetic Can Eat (Kid Friendly!)

Air Fryer Peanut Butter Granola Bars (Diabetic and Kid Friendly) -- Makes Two 8-Inch Square Pans

2 cups of rolled oats (old fashioned)

2 tablespoons of milled flax seeds

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/4 cup of oat flour (just grind some oats in a food processor)

1/4 cup of canola oil

1/4 cup of no sugar peanut butter

1/4 cup of date puree (just cover 1/4 cup of pitted dates with boiling water--just enough

water to barely cover the dates--let the mixture cool, and mash the mixture)

1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt

1 egg white

1 cup of chopped, unsalted dry roasted peanuts

1/2 cup of chopped pitted dates

Line two 8-inch square pans with aluminum foil and spritz the foil with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl mix together the oats, flax meal, salt, cinnamon, and oat flour. Add to the bowl the oil, peanut butter, date puree, and yogurt and mix them in. Whisk the egg white until it's frothy and mix it into the mixture. Fold in the peanuts and dates until well distributed. Divide the granola mixture evenly between the two prepared pans and press it down into the pans with a spatula. You want to compact the mixture a bit, so it sticks together. Air fry the granola bars at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a dark golden brown. Let the air fried granola cool a little and then cut it into bars while it's still warm. Store the bars in a zip lock bag or air-tight container.

How to Make Better, Less Expensive Air Fryer Peanut Butter Granola Bars With Lots of Protein and That a Diabetic Can Eat (Kid Friendly!)