Easy No-Bake Granola Bars

Sunday night, as me and my husband were getting ready for bed, I realized I hadn't packed a lunch for him.

I almost left him a note just saying he should grab something at mickey-d's or whatever for lunch...but quickly I decided against that because 1: I despise McDonalds with PASSION, and 2: we had just had a conversation about being better about saving money and all that.

So it was time for me to get creative.

Did I mention Sunday is the day before monday which is usually shopping day? Which also means finding something to fill and satisfy a big hungry man is nothing short of a great mission.

So I boiled some pasta, slapped some pesto and grated peccorino romano cheese on it, threw some cottage cheese in a tupperwear with blueberries sprinkled on top (does he even like cottage cheese?), and gave him 2 cookies from the freezer and a peanut butter granola bar that was so small it wouldn't have even been enough to feed our 10 month old daughter for a snack.

Later on when he came home, (I had since grocery shopped) I asked him what he thought of his 'creative' lunch?

The pasta was underdone, he doesn't really like cottage cheese, but ate it cause it was food and he was hungry, the cookies melted and somehow got on the ladder in the back of his truck on the ladder ( don't ask me how that happened) and when the guys were unloading at a job, they thought it was dog poop all over everything.

Nice.

I made up for the horrible lunch and we had a fantastic dinner. All is forgiven.

When I was grocery shopping earlier that afternoon, I was going to buy him some manly granola/energy bars, but they are so expensive and I have a love/hate relationship with them. 

I love how they are big and manly and have lots of protein in them for my big man and are all wrapped up, and ready to throw in his lunch box, but I hate how they are like, over a dollar each.

Sometimes I make them, sometimes I buy them. Depends on my mood.

Since I was trying to spend as little as possible on this shopping trip, I opted for making them.

These couldn't be easier...5ish ingredients, and 5 minutes. No sugar, plenty of protein and lots of yummy.

Viola!

Easy No-Bake Granola Bars

Makes 12-5 bars

2 cups oats

1/2-1 cup raisins and/or chocolate chips (I didn't have chocolate chips, just raisins)

3/4 cup melted smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

Mix all ingredients very well.

Press very firmly into a 9x13" pan lined with wax paper.

Refrigerate for at least an hour before lifting out of pan and cutting into desired size!

Add in's:

dried cranberries, cherries 

chia seeds

flax seeds

nuts

seeds

coconut