Fairmont Lake Louise Granola Bars
There’s something about the academic calendar. Even though I’m no longer a student and not teaching at the moment, fall brings out the ‘I want new pencils’ mentality in me. So with that, I’ve been thinking about making my favorite recipe for granola bars. Not that I have a lunch to pack. But even so…it’s a nice breakfast treat with a cup of coffee, good walking-the-dog energy, and a reminder of a winter hunkered down with snowshoes in the middle of nowhere. For those of you who have munchkins in school or are, yourself, immersed in academia somehow, make these and tote them to class. I have many times (as you can see by my scribbles and revisions).
I got this recipe from the nice folks at the coffee shop at the Fairmont Hotel in Lake Louise, Canada. My mom and my two sisters and I went up there a few years ago after Christmas. For some reason, I have a selective memory about the trip: I remember the absolutely heinous ride up the mountain with the driver drinking out of a flask, falling asleep, and swerving into the other lane of traffic numerous times (I don’t pray often, but I did that day); I remember realizing how hard cross-country skiing is…when I was miles from the hotel; I remember how much Asian tourists seem to love a good English tea service. And I remember these incredible granola bars. The snow-shoe guides created them for their own snacks, but they were so popular with people on their tours, that they started selling them in the coffee shop. My sister, Zoe, and I would make a pilgrimage downstairs in our little black ski pants, looking like we were about to take on the great outdoors when really we were about to take on The New York Times and some nutty goodness. Now you can, too.
Lake Louise Guide's Granola Bars
- Yield: 12 (four-inch bars)
- Prep time: 10 mins
- Cook time: 17 mins
- Total time: 27 mins
The nice thing about this recipe is, although it calls for a variety of different nuts, you can really use what you have in your pantry. You obviously wouldn’t want to substitute the main ingredients (oats, honey, wheat bran) for something else. But if you prefer cranberries to raisins (as I do) or want to throw in some chocolate chips, dates, candied ginger, or dried apricots — this is the perfect recipe to experiment. Also, I go to the bulk section of the market as the recipe calls for small quantities of numerous ingredients that I don’t always have on hand.
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat over to 375. Mix oil, honey, and molasses together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Pour liquid over dry ingredients and mix well (I like to use my hands here). Press mixture out onto a shallow rimmed baking sheet (I use an 11 x 7 inch pan) that has been lightly oiled or buttered. Bake at 375 for 15-17 minutes.
Allow to cool completely before slicing into squares. When they come out of the oven, they’ll be pretty malleable to the touch, and you’ll probably be tempted to put them back into the oven. Don’t. When they cool, they will firm up. Wrap in plastic wrap and they should keep for a good week.
Healthy Comfort Food
Thai Carrot, Coconut and Cauliflower Soup
People describe raising young kids as a particular season in life. I hadn't heard this until we had a baby, but it brought me a lot of comfort when I'd start to let my mind wander, late at night between feedings, to fears that we'd never travel internationally again or have a sit-down meal in our dining room. Would I ever eat a cardamom bun in Sweden? Soak in Iceland? I loved the heck out of our tiny Oliver, but man what had we done?! Friends would swoop in and reassure us that this was just a season, a blip in the big picture of it all. They promised we'd likely not even remember walking around the house in circles singing made-up songs while eating freezer burritos at odd hours of the day (or night). And it's true.
Oliver is turning two next month, and those all-encompassing baby days feel like a different time, a different Us. In many ways, dare I say it, Toddlerhood actually feels a bit harder. Lately Oliver has become extremely opinionated about what he will and will not wear -- and he enforces these opinions with fervor. Don't get near the kid with a button-down shirt. This week at least. He's obsessed with his rain boots and if it were up to him, he'd keep them on at all times, especially during meals. He insists on ketchup with everything (I created a damn monster), has learned the word "trash" and insists on throwing found items away on his own that really, truly are not trash. I came to pick him up from daycare the other day and he was randomly wearing a bike helmet -- his teacher mentioned he'd had it on most of the day and really, really didn't want to take it off. The kid has FEELINGS. I love that about him, and wouldn't want it any other way. But, man it's also exhausting.
Cheesy Quinoa Cauliflower Bake
I just finished washing out Oliver's lunchbox and laying it out to dry for the weekend. My favorite time of day is (finally) here: the quiet of the evening when I can actually talk to Sam about our day or sit and reflect on my own thoughts after the inevitable dance party or band practice that precedes the bedtime routine lately. Before becoming pregnant for the second time, I'd have had a glass of wine with the back door propped open right about now -- these days though, I have sparkling water or occasionally take a sip from one of Sam's hard ciders. Except now the back door's closed and we even turned on the heat for the first time yesterday. The racing to water the lawn and clean the grill have been replaced by cozier dinners at home and longer baths in the evening. You blink and it's the first day of fall.
Stuffed Shells with Fennel and Radicchio
I'd heard from many friends that buying a house wasn't for the faint of heart. But I always shrugged it off, figuring I probably kept better files or was more organized and, really, how hard could it be? Well, I've started (and stopped) writing this post a good fifteen times which may indicate something. BUT! First thing's first: we bought a house! I think! I'm pretty sure! We're still waiting for some tax transcripts to come through and barring any hiccough with that, we'll be moving out of our beloved craftsman in a few weeks and down the block to a great, brick Tudor house that we wanted the second we laid eyes on it. The only problem: it seemed everyone else in Seattle had also laid eyes on it, and wanted it equally as much. I'm not really sure why the homeowner chose us in the end. Our offer actually wasn't the highest, but apparently there were some issues with a few of them. We wrote a letter introducing ourselves and describing why we'd be the best candidates and why we were so drawn to the house; we have a really wonderful broker who pulled out all the stops, and after sifting through 10 offers and spending a number of hours deliberating, they ended up going with ours. We were at a friend's book event at the time when Sam showed me the text from our broker and I kind of just collapsed into his arms. We were both in ecstatic denial (wait, is this real?! Did we just buy a house?) and celebrated by getting chicken salad and potato salad from the neighborhood grocery store and eating it, dazed, on our living room floor. Potato salad never tasted so good.
Smoky Butternut Squash and Three Bean Chili
If your house is anything like ours, last week wasn't our most inspired in terms of cooking. We're all suffering from the post-election blues -- the sole upside being Oliver's decision to sleep-in until 7 am for the first time in many, many months; I think he's trying to tell us that pulling the covers over our heads and hibernating for awhile is ok. It's half-convincing. For much of the week, instead of cooking, there'd been takeout pizza and canned soup before, at week's end, I decided it was time to pour a glass of wine and get back into the kitchen. I was craving something hearty and comforting that we could eat for a few days. Something that wouldn't remind me too much of Thanksgiving because, frankly, I can't quite gather the steam to start planning for that yet. It was time for a big bowl of chili.
To Talk Porridge
Porridge is not the sexiest of breakfasts, it's true. It doesn't have a stylish name like strata or shakshuka, and it doesn't have perfectly domed tops like your favorite fruity muffin. It doesn't crumble into delightful bits like a good scone nor does it fall into buttery shards like a well-made croissant. But when you wake up and it's 17 degrees outside (as it has been, give or take a few, for the last week), there's nothing that satisfies like a bowl of porridge or oatmeal. It's warm and hearty and can be made sweet or savory with any number of toppings. The problem? Over the years, it's gotten a bad rap as gluey or gummy or just downright boring or dutiful -- and it's because not everyone knows the secrets to making a great pot of warm morning cereal. So let's talk porridge (also: my cookbook comes out this month! So let's take a peek inside, shall we?)
Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite
These look great - perfect for back to school (as a student AND a teacher) for me this week!
Chow and Chatter
these look awesome
Rachael
These are also a great treat for those dieting (like myself :/) They provide a great, but small, filling snack! I'm definitely making some for my walks to the bus stop after a 9 hour shift!
Megan Gordon
Thanks, guys!. Marti: Hope this week has been going well. Student + teacher mix is always fun to negotiate. And Rachael, I never thought of them in terms of dieting but yes, they're actually not bad at all. Fat, but all good fat!
Anonymous
You made these!!! Oh how I miss them. Love, Jiggs.
Glitterati
Oooh, thanks so much for posting this! I too took their snowshoeing tour this past holiday season, and was too charmed by the yummy granola our guide had. (Was she a sweet blonde lady by any chance?)
Anyway, I don't know if it was the snowshoeing-induced hunger, or the exhilaration of eating it on an icy mountain top with a cup of steaming maple tea. But I've been thinking about that granola ever since. The guide had put some good chocolate chips in the mix too. Can't wait to try this out!
megang
How cool that you've tried them, too. I know what you mean: not sure if it was the sub-zero temperatures, but I would get strangely excited when it was snacktime :) Enjoy...I've made them many times and they always turn out really well (chocolate chips would be a great addition!)
Cari
These look delicious! I'd love to feature them on my site, www.canigettherecipe.com if you are keen with full credits and links back to your site. Please let me know!
Ardis Peck
My friend made the bar and it was de-lish however it wasn't sticking together so well. She did use the 1/4 cup milk powder for binding power.
Any hints out there?
Thanks,
Ardis
megang
Hi Ardis: Did she use the proper amount of honey and canola oil (the oil is really the most important part in keeping it all together?). Make sure she didn't skimp on those ... I've never had that problem. I hope they were still delicious!
Charlene
I tried these also this past weekend after seeing an article in a magazine. Mine did not hold together either. But then only baked for 12 minutes. I am eating it with a spoon- very delicious. I will crumble it back up and add a little more oil and bake in the oven for another good 10 minutes.
megang
Hi Charlene. So sorry to hear this. I have never had a problem, but I'm encouraged to try them again because it has been quite some time...you're a smart woman to crumble them up -- ice cream topping? Thanks for checking in and leaving that helpful feedback.
Valerie G
These are really delicious! I baked them for 17 minutes after pressing into a 11x7" glass dish -- they didn't hold together after fully cooled so I baked them again for another 10 minutes the second day, still didn't hold together. On the third day I transferred the whole thing to a 10x12" casserole dish and baked them again for another 15 minutes. (I was determined to make it work.) I'm happy to report I now have granola *bars*. Thanks so much for sharing this great recipe -- they really are incredible!
Beth
I love that your recipe is actually on Lake Louise stationary! These are in the oven now, and I can't wait to try them...(this is a perfect recipe to make on a cool Ottawa night while my hubs watches football).
Diane Smitten
I just made these it's a disaster - they crumble and don't stick I followed the recipe EXACTLY - it's an expensive mistake. I feel there should be more honey to stick. I saw the recipe in House and Home in a past edition and thought I would make for Valentines Day as a healthy option. apparently not very disappointed - I see the above comments had the same experience as me.
megang
Oh no, Diane. I'm so sorry. I've made these a number of time but they're definitely finicky - pressing them down is key as is letting them cool completely (longer than you think it should take). I hope the bits and pieces were still delicious and so sorry the recipe didn't work for you as planned.