Creative Food: Granola Bar Turkey Snack

Granola Bar Turkeys: A Healthy and Simple Thanksgiving Snack!

We are almost one week away from Thanksgiving! I keep saying it but wow. It feels like time is flying this year. Perhaps it is because I am always running after my 23 month old these days ;)

I made these Granola Bar Turkeys as an after school snack for Eliana. She loved them! Samantha wants anything Eliana has so she kept asking for a "gobble gobble", and of course I made her one too :) These snacks are completely kid and toddler friendly! Samantha wanted me to assemble it, but if your kids want to assemble these they will have so much fun doing it themselves! They are really so simple to make! Both Eliana and Samantha gobbled up their "gobble gobbles" and asked for more :)

To make these Turkey Granola Bars you will need:

Homemade Granola Bars (recipe below), or store bought

Pretzel Sticks

Candy Eyeballs

Carrots

Dried Cranberries
A knife

8x8 baking pan
Aluminum foil
Non-stick baking spray (I used coconut oil)

To assemble:

1. Start off with your granola bar and place it at the center of your plate.

2. Take as many pretzel sticks as you want and gently push into granola bar to make feathers.

3. Cut some carrot noses and feet, put them into place.

4. Add candy eyes and dried cranberry "gobbly thing" and you are all set! Now: EAT!

*You can assemble everything and let your kids build their own turkeys! FUN!

Samantha went for the feet first! Smart girl. Making sure her gobble gobble can't run away!

To make these we used our favorite NO BAKE Granola Bars, but feel free to use your favorite granola bar recipe, or use store bought. These are great for Thanksgiving because you could easily transport everything, no need for refrigeration, and let your kids eat and play with their food while you are finishing up preparations!

EASY {Peanut and Nut FREE} NO BAKE Granola Bar Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups rice cereal*

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats*

1/2 cup wowbutter or sunbutter**

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

3 Tablespoons brown sugar (or brown rice syrup)

1 Tablespoon chia seeds

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup (more or less depending on your preference) mini chocolate chips***

Directions:

1. In a large microwave safe bowl measure out your wowbutter, honey and brown sugar.

2. Place in microwave for 2 minutes on HIGH.

3. Remove bowl (carefully) and stir ingredients. Add vanilla and stir again.

4. Add (in this order) chia seeds, shredded coconut, old fashioned oats, and rice cereal to bowl with honey and wowbutter mixture.

5. Mix ingredients until well blended and all oats and cereal is fully covered in wowbutter mixture.

6. Fold in chocolate chips (reserve a few for the top).

7. In a 8x8 baking pan, lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick spray, pour your granola mixture.

8. With the back of a spoon press mixture down.

9. Sprinkle some chocolate chips on top.

10. Let granola bars cool completely. (you can place in refrigerator to speed process)

11. Cut and enjoy!

12. Keep in an air tight container for up to a week. I usually put a layer of parchment paper to help the bars not stick while stacked on top of each other.

*Be sure to use certified gluten free cereal and oats if you need it to be gluten free.

**If you do not have a peanut or tree nut allergy, you can always sub with any nut butter.

***Enjoy Life Foods Brand mini chocolate chips are top 8 allergen FREE.

Some tips:

>You could make this over the stove top instead of the microwave. Just make sure to stir until well blended, and to watch it so it doesn't burn.

>I have found that some honeys do not stick as well -- so use your judgement and add more if needed!

>If you add the chocolate in too quickly it will all melt. (which isn't a problem, but just make note!)

>Make sure to press down hard, but not too hard that you crush all the rice cereal!

>Let the bars cool completely first. Every time we cut into them and they hadn't cooled, the bars fall apart. They taste just as good.. so if you can't wait it really doesn't matter I suppose ;)