The Cowboy’s Granola Bars

These easy and healthy granola bars are a go-to for us during our busy season. They are easy to make and easy to grab on the go! 

Healthy snacks are important. 

As a rancher, our seasons of the year are not your typical Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. We work in the seasons of feeding season and grass season. In both season of life for us we like to have some healthy snacks that will stick with us through the morning and are easy to grab and go. These granola bars are a go-to and they are super tasty too!

What is grass season?

Y’all, grass season is like 10 days away!! What does this really mean you might ask? Well, for us it is a new season with a different type of work caring for cattle on grass. As a rancher, our seasons of the year are not your typical Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. We work in the seasons of feeding season and grass season. Feeding season is the span between October 16 to April 30th. This is the season that we have cattle at home that need to be fed every day. Grass season is May 1 to October 15 when cattle are out on the grass and don’t need to be fed every day, because they are receiving their nutrient requirements through the grass they are grazing on, but do need to be checked at least once a week.

Some of my favorites of last year’s grass season

When a new season rolls around I, Wrenn, have to reset my brain on how to schedule things and what will be best for our family. Now don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that our business hours change about every six months. I love the fact that our task and roles change often throughout the year because I think I would get really bored doing the same thing every day, all year round.

Follow us on @cookingwiththecowboy Instagram for photos from this year’s season. 

What is Next with Grass Season

So, in less than two weeks we will be shipping the cattle that are at Isaac’s yard, 8 Bros Land and Cattle, to our grass. This will be a full day process of getting everyone out there. Then the next day Arturo and I will be back in the saddle checking on everyone making sure they are settled into their new home. And we will settle into the routine of early mornings of getting boys to daycare, dropping them off with horses in tow and headed to the grass after. We will ride through as many pastures as we can each day checking to make sure everyone is healthy and accounted for.

The Cowboy’s Granola Bars

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup sliced almonds
3 TBPS unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
¼ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 ½ TSP pure vanilla extract
½ TSP kosher salt
1/3 cup Almond or peanut butter
1 cup of dried fruit, we used cherries
½ cup toasted wheat germ
½ cup chia seeds (optional, they bump up the protein)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place your oats and almonds on a pan and toast for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer to a large bowl.

Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees.

In a small saucepan place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, almond butter, and salt. Place the mixture over medium heat until everything is melted and it begins to simmer. Once it comes to a simmer, cook for about a minute stirring often.

Pour the mixture over the oats and almonds and mix. Then add the wheat germ, chi seeds, and dried fruit and mix until everything is evenly incorporated.

Pour the mixture into a 8.5×11.5 pan lined with parchment paper. Wet your fingers and firmly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 2 hours.

Let the pan completely cool before removing from the pan and cutting into portions.