Healthy Homemade Granola Bar

It is a constant challenge to make something healthy and taste really good at the same time. (This recipe is an inspiration from a chef who graduated from Harvard in Econs but decided to give it up to pursue a career in baking and now one of the renown pastry chefs in New York City). I had a lot of healthy grains in the house such as flax seed, Chia seeds, Wolfberries, cranberries, you name it. They were a collection of anything organic and healthy that my husband wanted to add to his early morning oatmeal breakfast. Oh well, someone had to use them up so he can buy some more !

Ingredients:
a bottle of good fruit jam
1 cup of walnut halves
1 3/4 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup of rolled oats
2/3 cup of packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup of fresh shredded coconut (get the frozen kind from the freezer of Asian Grocer)
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 cup of unsalted butter at room temperature cut into 10 pieces
6 tbs maple syrup (grade B)
3 tbs flaxseeds
3 tbs chiaseeds
3 tbs sunflower seeds
3 tbs millet

Method:
Heat oven to 350 deg F. Spread walnuts on baking sheet and toast for 10 mins. Let it cool.
Line a 9 X 13 baking pan with parchment paper.
In a food processor, combine the walnuts, flour, oats, brown sugar, coconut, salt, cinnamon and butter and pulse about 10 times or until the mixture is evenly combined. Dump the mixture into a medium bowl and drizzle with maple syrup on top. Work in the maple syrup with your hands until the mixture comes together.
Press about 2/3 thirds of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the remaining 1/3 of the mixture in the refrigerator.
Bake for 30 to 40 mins or until light golden brown throughout. Remove the pan from the oven, spoon the granola jam on top and spread in an even layer with the spoon or with a spatula covering the surface. Remove the reserved granola mixture from the refrigerator and break it up with yoru fingers into a small bowl. Add the Chiaseeds,  flaxseeds, sunflower seeds and millet and stir to combine. Sprinkle the mixture like a crumb topping evenly over the jam.
Return the panto the oven and bake for 50 to 60 mins or until the top is golden brown. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 2-3 hours. or until cool enough to hold its shape when cut.
Cut into 12 bars.
The bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Good to pack for your kid's snacks.