Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the oats (2 1/4 cup) and peanuts (3/4 cup) on top
Bake for 8 minutes
Meanwhile, melt the peanut butter (2/3 cup) and syrup or honey (1/2 cup) over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes
Add the oats and nuts to a large mixing bowl and stir in the peanut butter and syrup mixture, next add the 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
Stir in the chocolate chips and turn the mixture into an 11 X 7 baking pan and press down, sprinkle with a handful of chocolate chops over the top and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
Store in the refrigerator for best results
Notes
After you have added all of the ingredients to the pan and patted it down, place a piece of parchment paper over the top and press down using your hands, a spatula or a cup, this will help to hold the bars together
Homemade granola bars are more fragile than store-bought, store them in the refrigerator for best results. If you want the chocolate chips to hold their shape, combine the nuts, oats and liquid ingredients and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before adding the chips. We like the way the chips melt into the mixture, but that is up to you.
Nutrition information is provided by Nutrifox, an online calculator and is meant to be used for informational purposes only. Even though I try to provide accurate information, these figures should still be considered as estimates