When you have a lot of food blogger friends, you end up with a lot of friends writing and publishing really cool cookbooks! I have another one of those cookbooks to share with you this week from my friend Catherine McCord of Weelicious.
Catherine is every bit as cute and sweet as her recipes. She is gracious and kind and generous and I am so grateful to know her!
Her second book Weelicious Lunches just came out and it’s great! The photography is beautiful, there are SO many recipes to choose from, and my kids were excited to read through the book to get ideas for their lunches (something I always need help with). This book is great inspiration if you’re looking for wholesome and delicious lunch inspiration for your kids (or even yourself!).
I have been wanting to make my own granola bars for some time now. I’m on Year Two of trying to use less plastic and one of the specific goals I set for myself this year was to replace some or all ย of the store-bought snacks that we regularly include in packed lunches, including granola bars. I haven’t really found a recipe that caught my eye until my review copy of Catherine’s book arrived last week. She has a simple granola bar recipe in the book that looked like just what I needed!
The granola bars are wonderful (recipe below!). They are a little bit crispy, a little bit chewy, with just the right amount of sweetness and a hint of salt. I’ve already eaten a few and they’ve only been out of the oven for an hour! Cate and Owen are equally as addicted. The best part was the bars were so easy to prepare and the ingredients are accessible and inexpensive, making this a much more affordable option than buying granola bars. Plus, we’re using less packaging, contributing to our family’s environmental goals. Yay for homemade granola bars!
The giveaway is now closed. Thank you! And, of course, we are giving away Catherine’s book! Two of you lucky commenters will each receive a copy of Weelicious Lunches. Please leave a comment on this post by Midnight PT on Wednesday, September 18.
You can also buy Catherine’s book on Amazon!
Good luck to you all with the giveaway! And happy granola bar cooking!
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup whole-wheat flour
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup chocolate chips (or raisins or other dried fruit) Jane note: I used mini chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup honey
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the oats, flour, coconut, brown sugar, chocolate chips, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the canola oil, vanilla and honey.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and stir to combine. (Jane note: stir and stir and stir!)
- Spread the granola mixture on the baking sheet and shape it into a large rectangle about 1 inch thick.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden and dry to the touch. (Jane note: mine cooked for 35 minutes.)
- Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then cut into 3 x 1 inch bars using a serrated knife. These bars will remain fresh for several weeks if wrapped individually in parchment or wax paper. (Jane note: I am planning to store in an airtight container.)
- Add 1 cup brown crisped rice cereal to the dry ingredients
- Increase to ⅓ cup whole-wheat flour
- Make the ⅓ cup packed brown sugar heaping
- Used ⅝ cup of canola oil
- Used ⅝ cup honey
Hi! My name is Jane Maynard and you've landed yourself on my blog, This Week for Dinner™. Every Sunday I share a weekly menu...and count on you to share yours! You'll also find other deliciousness that I hope you'll enjoy!
These granola bars look great and so does the cookbook!
Great giveaway, thanks for the opportunity!
Yum! Anxious to try these.
I’ve had my eye on the Weelicious cookbooks for awhile.
Can’t wait to try these! Always love to try new cookbooks!
great prize and thx for the lovely idea YUM!
I always need help with lunches, and I am definitely going to try this recipe!
I’m always looking for new granola recipes to try. This one looks simpler then some I’ve used.
These look amazing, can’t wait to make them gluten free!
Great recipe and everything on stock so will be making some tomorrow.
My oldest just started Kindergarten, I can’t wait to check out this cookbook!!
School did just start! This book looks perfect.
Would love some new ideas!
I’m seeing recipes from this book all over the web. Adding this one to the to-make list.
I’d love to win this!! Love your site AND weelicious. ๐
I’m a stay at home who is always looking up fun new recipes for my little ones, I love to see others think outside the box and inspire all of us. I feel like our kids spend so much time away from us during the day in school that making an extra special lunch is that time during the day where she’s thinking about me and knows I was thinking about her!!!! We would love love love a copy of this cookbook!
I would love this cookbook!
Catherine’s recipes are always a “sure thing.” Loved by our whole family!
Looking forward to trying these out! But wishing I could find ethically sourced mini chocolate chips. I have the regular sized chips, but the minis are hard to find.
I just made these yesterday, and not only did my 4-year old enjoy helping me make them, we both enjoyed eating them! Can’t wait to try more recipes from Weelicious and This Week for Dinner. ๐
These granola bars are delicious.. Can’t wait to try the adapted version!
I just fell in love with her first cookbook and am SO excited to see this one!
Granola bars with no nuts!! Thank you!!
Can’t wait to try!
Love your recipe and thanks for the chance to win a cookbook!! It would be a huge help for my kiddos lunches to be healthier!
Thanks for the yummy recipe!
my daughter just started preschool and the snack suggestions are SO boring. i’d love to have a copy that has healthy–and tasty–homemade food options!
Love weelicious! Keeping my fingers crossed…
Yum! Chocolate chip granola bars are my favorite!
What a great recipe and giveaway! ๐
I cannot wait to try this recipe. And not just for myself. ๐
I love her granola bar recipe!
Another great recipe, can’t wait to try. Thank you for sharing with us.
I agree that these are super easy and delicious granola bars! I have made them several times and was actually planning on it again tonight for my daughter to take to preschool tomorrow. Love Catherine McCord and her first cookbook. Can’t wait to check out Weelicious lunches!
Yummy granola bars! Can’t wait to see the cookbook.
I’ve had my eye on this cookbook for weeks!!
I love these granola bars! The recipe book will come in handy for healthy snacks to pack my preschooler.
I know some WEE-LITTL-ONES that would love what Mommy makes from this book. Pick me รฐลธหฦ
Looks like a great snack
I would Love to win this book!!
Looking forward to trying these and of course the cookbook would be a fantastic addition to my kitchen ๐
Your additions look good. Love weelicious, and I’ll have to take a look at this site too! ๐
Catherine has really helped my life as a new mom! Her recipes are amazing and easy! I always get rave reviews when I use her recipes!! I was SO excited to see this post because I am teaching good Preparation at the secondary level and I am seriously making her granola bars in class tomorrow!!! I am so loving teaching these High School kids how to make quick healthy snacks and breakfast items since most of them have poor diets!!! ๐
I made these last week and I plan to make them again in the morning! Visiting my college son tomorrow and he loves them as do the rest of us! Can’t wait to win (or buy) the cook book! ๐
I soo want to make these! They look delicious.
I would love to win this cookbook. My preschooler and I would love experimenting with these recipes!
these look fantastic; can’t wait to try them!
Weelicious is one of my favorite sites! I’ll have to make these especially with your modifications. I have a bag of brown crisped rice cereal to use up too!
I’ve been looking for a snack that will last for more than a couple of days and doesn’t need to be refrigerated — this one looks like it will do that and be tasty!
Can’t wait to try the bars, and win the book!
I love Weelicious! I’ll have to try these granola bars-I love your addition of the brown crisped rice cereal!
I cannot wait to make these, they look so good! And no preservatives like the store-bought ones!
I am definitely going to make these, and would love to win the cookbook. I need all the help I can get!
I like many of the recipes on Weelicious. I can’t wait to see what’s in her newest cookbook.
Yum! I think my kids would love these!
Can’t wait to try these!!
Such a fabulous recipe for all ages! Would love to win this cookbook for my family
These look so yummy! I have twin boys, so any help with snacks and lunch boxes is always appreciate.
These look delicious and what a great giveaway! Thanks for the opportunity
This looks like terrific inspiration for packing the kids lunches!
I am constantly looking for lunch ideas for my toddler. I have recently become a stay at home mom and would loooooove this book for inspiration!
Love cookbooks, love weelicious!
I knew about weelicious before and actually made these wonderful little gems. However this is my first time on your site and am totally excited to have found you. I’m finding you on Facebook next!
Have made these twice.My kids and I love them! Even my pickiest eater likes the recipes from weelicous.
I will definetly be trying this recipe! I am all for trying healthy recipes for my twins.
Look delicious! I’m always on the hunt for new granola bar recipes. I typically use a Smitten Kitchen one, but will have to try this recipe now too. The book also looks great!
yum, can’t wait to try them
This is my first year packing lunches and this looks like a great resource for fresh ideas!
Can’t wait to give these delicious looking bars a try!
I desperately want this cookbook! Would love to win but if not I’ll just have to break down and buy it ๐
These look good, I think I will try making them.
Going to make these this weekend. Always looking for healthy food ideas for my grandson who is picky.
Have been a Weelicious fan for years – would love to receive a book! Need to try these granola bars, too!
Love Weelicious! Trying the granola bars soon!
These look yummy! Can’t wait to make them.
Love your first book and cannot wait to check out your second! Would love to add it to my kitchen!
I bought my daughter your book last Christmas, would love this one to add to her collection.
love weelicious! trying your recipe vs. my old recipe this week on the kids!
Can’t wait to try these bars!! And I’m a huge fan of Catherine. She’s great!
I’m so excited to try this recipe, finding a homemade granola bar recipe that is yummy is tricky!! I adore Catherine and would love to win her new book!
These look great! I’m sure my little ones would love some new different lunches!!
I would LOVE this cookbook!
The granola bars look delicious and the cookbook would be a great addition to my collection.
Love all the weelicious recipes and so does my daughter ๐
Mmmm. Reminds me that I should make some of my own soon. I stop, and I haven’t a clue as to why yet.
Good Luck!
I love to bake with my kids! We will be trying this out soon ๐
These look great, can’t wait to try them!
I made these two times – delicious! My 2 yo calls them “cookies” ๐ I keep a few bars in my office too. I read reviews that sometimes granola comes out loose – i think the key is to let the oats soak in the wet ingridients. After i mix them really well, i leave them to sit in the bowl for about 15 min or so, and then i mix it again, and again, and again. When i place the mix on baking sheet i make sure i press it evenly and tightly. I like it extra crunchy and bake a little bit longer than the recepy calls for, and it comes our very, very good!
i just want to say that i am a HUGE fan of the weelicious cook books, i am willing to do just about ANYTHING to get my hands on a copy of this one too!
Too bad or too good for my hair styling team, we will be making these as our shop project to give out to our customers on out Terrific Tuesdays. THANKS for sharing.
These look wonderful. I always feel so guilty when I see all of the packaging on store-bought granola bars.
My oldest just started kindy! I want to get this cookbook. She LOVES granola bars:)
Those look delicious!!
These look great. Any ideas if I don’t want coconut in them? Would love the inspiration and ideas for lunches in the cookbook.
Made these today and they are great! Would love to get the cookbook!
Thanks for the opportunity to win I love Catherine’s recipes – will be making these granola bars next week!
I can’t wait to make these. For my kids…and myself!
Can’t wait to make these… With 5 kiddos we always need snacks! My kids love to bake and cook with me, this would be awesome!
Made these last night and they are yummo. I had some that crumbled, so those were granola…minus the bar! All 5 kids like them, so it’s a winner in my book!
I made these and they are fabulous!!!
Love Weelicious! These look delish – and the book looks amazing! Would love a copy! ๐
These look DELISH! I am dying to get her new cookbook! I hope I am the lucky winner!! Can’t wait to try these. I will likely modify with cocunut oil in place for the canola and maple syrup in place for the brown sugar – will have to see how they turn out!
My son is addicted to granola bars. This recipe sounds great and I plan on making it this weekend. Thanks for the opportunity to win Weelicious!
These look great! My boys would gobble them up.
Love love love weelicious recipes!!! So easy to make, delicious and good for you! Have her one family, one meal book and would love the lunches one too!!!!
This looks like a grest cookbook! I have always wanted yo try making granola bars.
These granola Bars look so good! My family would love them!! Excited about the giveaway!
I want to but less bars too! Going to try these ASAP
Looks delicious! Love the first Weelicious cookbook!
Oh goodness…I’m in such a lunch rut with my son. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a copy!
Yum These look great. I think I have everything cept for Canola oil. Will olive oil work?
This looks delicious. Can’t wait to make them.
I would love to win a copy of this cookbook. I’m running out of ideas for school lunches (and school year’s just started!).
I am definitely going to try these-they look delicious I love the homemade fruit roll ups too! My grandchildren love all of these fresh snacks and I don’t feel guilty giving them any of these!
can’t wait to try these. am also in desperate need of lunch inspiration!
These look delicious I will have to make these this weekend. Would love the cook book as well!
My kids love granola bars! Thanks for the recipe!
That looks like a great granola bar recipe. I will try it! I love the Weelicious book and am looking forward to the new Weelicious Lunches book.
What a great granola bar recipe. I will try it! I love the Weelicious book and am looking forward to the new Weelicious Lunches book.
I love granola!
I’m making these this weekend, they look awesome – Thank you!!
Love weelicious! My daughter will be so excited when I make these : )
I am always having trouble coming up with lunches and this will help
my son is only 2 but i pack his lunch for him for daycare every day. i (and my son) love your recipes, youve helped me get over some road blocks of what to make but i struggle with lunches and giving him enough variety. as a working mom, i would just love to add your book to our home!
Granola bars are our go-to snack so I am very excited to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing.
I make these bars weekly and the kids love them. Perfect for soccer snack duty too! I will try the modifications this weekend. Thanks
Looks great. I will have to give them a try. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
They look so yummy!
Yummy!! Looking forward to making these to put in my daughter’s lunch. Would love the cookbook!
That recipe looks delicious! I hope to win a copy of the book. ๐
Yum! These would be sooo much better for my toddler than the store bought ones!
Can’t wait to try these granola bars!
I love the weelicious recipes. This looks like a great (nut free) treat to send to school
Love it! Can’t wait to try it!!
The recipe looks yummy and easy! Can’t wait to try them!!
That’s awesome! And these cookbooks sound amazing. Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy!
Love it!
I’m definitely trying these granola bars. I love them w/ crisped rice too!
I definitely need help with lunch ideas. This is my first year packing lunch for my son. I stress about “nut-free” options. I want to be creative and different to motivate my son to eat healthy. I also secretly want my son’s classmates be jealous of his lunch! ๐
I am going to try these granola bars for my sons. Thanks for the chance to win the cookbook!
Making these today
love the original weelicious book and have been looking for good lunch recipes for the kids! this granola bar recipe looks great, yum!
This looks fantastic – I always need inspiration for my kids’ lunches and I love the Weelicious blog.
Guilty! Been buying granola bars. But this recipe… This one looks like the one to try and finally make some awesome homemade granola bars. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
I’ve been trying to cut out all the “extra” horrible ingredients in packaged food. This recipe sounds great. Thanks for the opportunity to win Weelicious!
Question: what size was your baking pan? How thick of a granola bar are we expecting to see?
The book and recipe look awesome. Right up my alley, I am always trying to make versions of packaged food so they don’t have so many preservatives in them. I can’t wait to try this recipe.
I Love Weelicious!!!!
Awesome! I’d like to win Weelicious!
I am always looking for healthy homemade not store bought snacks. This is now on my list;)
These bars were a hit in my household. Had a slightly crunchy bottom yet were chewy. Just perfect.
I love Weelicious! Have helped me SO much to get a healthier and easier lifestyle! ๐
These are soooo good. I just made them for my 15 month old for the first time and my husband ate the whole batch in a week. I’m so excited to try different combinations, thanks for the recipe! Time to make more!
we’ve been making cereal bars from a food and wine recipe and my girls love them. i’m excited to try this one with them this weekend!
I am going to try these this weekend! Thanks for sharing the recipe and for the opportunity to win a book!
Looks delicious! Did you mention what size baking sheet? Do you use a cookie sheet rather than a 9×13 pan? Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I just discovered her first book and absolutely adore it. The recipes are simple, fun and delicious!
I love the weelicious recipes, and could really use a copy of this cookbook! My son’s only in preschool and I already feel like I’ve run out of ideas for his lunchbox!
This book looks great! I’m totally going to try those granola bars!
I was just thinking yesterday how I need to find a good granola bar recipe. Thanks for the great timing!
We love Weelicious! These bars look great!
Thanks for this recipe and for the giveaway! I’ve tried a few different granola bar recipes but they never come out right. Will try this one!
Thanks for posting this. I’m going to give it a try this weekend. They look delicious!
I’d love to add this to my recipe book collection!
Thanks for your review of the recipe, and your modifications! Looking forward to trying this out ๐
Making these granola bars tonight!
Would love to have this cookbook!
I would love love love new lunch ideas. My boys are getting bored with my lack of inspiration.
These look delicious!
Wonderful! I’m so excited about this recipe. My boys love granola bars. And by granola bars I really mean chocolate chip granola bars that look just like those. This book would be great to use!
those look so yummy!
Love new recipes. These granola bars sound delicious!
I would love to have this book. My daughter is one and it’s hard to think of healthy things to feed her everyday. This book would help.
These look delicious! I’m doing an October unprocessed challenge and I think these will be great snacks for my kiddos.
These look so good! My daughters love granola bars! I have a picky three year old who hardly will eat anything, but the one thing I can really get her to chow down on is my homemade granola bars! I would love this cookbook! I absolutely love Weelicious!!!
I’m trying these tonight! Would love to try more Weelicious recipes!
I always need help with lunch ideas!
Oh those look yummy. I am making them stat!
Those look yummy!
These look delicious!
I’ve been spending way too much money on lunch lately! This would be great for some new ideas!
We literally have 8 Costco sized boxes of granola bars in our food storage! Heaven knows I need to find another solution for this family addiction! This book looks fabulous! I’d love to win a copy. ๐
These look great! I would love to make these for my kids especially since their classroom is nut free. Just visited your site for the first time and love it!
Love to try some of her other recipes!
Always trying to spice things up in the lunch department. Since I learned out school kitchen is severly under the bar for the health code…we don’t even have a dishwasher or freezer! It makes me rethink what they are serving for lunch…pure preservatives? Anyway, home lunches avoid the line and get to play first! So Even if I don’t get the book, it will be in my amazon cart soon so I can take advantage of all the yummy welicious recipes! Thanks for the ideas!
I have made great strides in becoming waste free, but sometimes the after school snacks I wind up buying have extra packaging…..I am definitely making this recipe as “chewy bars” are an after school staple with too much packaging for my taste!
This recipe looks easier and healthier than the last recipe I tried. Can’t wait to give these a try!
Looks like a great book. I need all the help I can get! ๐
Perfect timing for us as my oldest just started full-day Kindergarten. I’d love lunch ideas!
Would love to try theses granola bars and the weeliciuos book looks fantastic!
Homemade granola rules.
Those granola bars look delicious & very kid friendly. I hope to make these this week!!
Yummy! These look delicious! I would definitely benefit from the fun cookbook!
This looks like a great recipe–I’ll definitely try it.
Now that I have two in school it is double the fun. Always looking for new recipes!
This recipe looks yummy! I love the Weelicious website!
wow, these look delish! thanks so much for the chance to win weelicious! can’t wait to add these granola bars to our snack repertoire. ๐
I’d love to have this book!
Could use all the help with lunches I can get!
I love homemade granola bars! It’s now on my to do list for tomorrow
Can’t wait to try it out!
This would be a great way to start the school year, a cookbook with lunch ideas! Love it!
Really looking forward to making these! They sound delicious!
I loved the first Weelicious book, it had some fantastic recipes that we loved – I can’t wait to try some recipes from the new book. Home-made granola/bars is big in our home, and with my daughter starting Kindergarten this year I’m looking for as many home-made options to put in her lunch as I can find time to make.
Lovely giveaway! Thanks!
I’m always looking for that ‘perfect’ granola bar recipe; these look promising! Thank you!
I could live off granola bars! I want this book!
I’d love to win this book!! ๐
Yay! I’ve been looking for a good chocolate chip granola bar recipe! I’m going to try these but w/coconut oil instead of canola oil.
I like them with both oils, but I prefer the coconut oil. enjoy!