Savory Granola Bars

Trail-ready recipe

Salty, crunchy, and packed with almonds, pumpkin seeds, oats, and chia — these savory granola bars are the homemade trail fuel I crave on a hike. Blocks of nutrition, not blocks of sugar.

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What’s in chia seeds

Chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, similar to the kind found in flaxseed. Plant sources of omega-3s aren’t converted into the usable forms (EPA and DHA) as efficiently as fish are, but they’re still a great way to add these healthy oils to your diet.

They’re also a good source of protein and a great source of fiber — almost 5 grams in a single tablespoon — so stirring them into smoothies or yogurt adds real staying power, slowing digestion and helping you feel full longer. In the micronutrient column, they’re a good source of calcium and phosphorus and a great source of manganese. Not bad for such a little seed!

What’s so good about chia seeds

Those healthy oils promote heart health by helping lower cholesterol and triglycerides, and they help decrease inflammation in the body. The balance of micronutrients — low in sodium, high in calcium — can also help lower blood pressure.

How to use chia seeds

Chia seeds can be eaten raw or sprouted. Unlike flaxseed, which can pass right through your system if eaten whole, chia seeds don’t need to be ground before eating. When mixed with water they develop a gel-like texture — great stirred into oatmeal, smoothies, cereal, or yogurt. Sprouts can be tossed raw into a salad.

How to make savory granola bars

Start by gathering your ingredients, including smoked almonds and roasted pumpkin seeds. Feeling resourceful? Save the seeds from any winter squash and roast them in place of pumpkin seeds, and roast raw almonds tossed with a little liquid smoke. Otherwise, look for both in the snacking-nuts aisle (not the baking aisle).

Chop the almonds coarsely — I like them chopped pretty well, since these are proudly fibrous bars and the less chewing, the better.

Mix your dry ingredients: two cups chopped almonds, one cup old-fashioned oats, a half cup roasted pumpkin seeds, and a half cup millet. In a separate bowl, stir together a half cup brown rice syrup (it’s not too sweet but helps the bars hold together), a quarter cup honey, and two tablespoons canola oil. Add two tablespoons ground chia seeds plus the spices: 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp chili powder, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp liquid smoke.

Stir the spices into the syrup mixture, then pour it over the dry ingredients and stir to coat completely. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper, then press the granola in tightly and spread it evenly.

Bake at 325°F for 18–20 minutes, until the edges are bubbly. Let it sit in the pan about 10 minutes, then lift the granola out with the parchment and set it on a cooling rack until firm. Cut into 27 pieces (3 × 9). Leave the parchment on to help the bars hold together — and please don’t use waxed paper. (I learned the hard way: the wax stuck to the bars, and more than one trusting co-worker ate the paper right along with the bar. Here’s hoping it’s as non-toxic as advertised!)

Store extra bars in the fridge to extend their life — remember, there are no preservatives in your homemade granola bars! I wrap individual bars in parchment to take them on the trail. Enjoy!