Granola Bars and The Hike to Heceta Head Lighthouse


We woke up to clear skies and decided to make the most of our morning hike. Before heading out I packed fruit, granola bars and fresh water. The trail head is right off the 101 highway about 5 miles north of Florence, Oregon. Here we had a decision to make; the Hobbit trail which would take us out to the beach at Carl Washburn state park or the trail to the back of the Heceta Head lighthouse. We decided upon Heceta Head as you probably already figured out by the title of this post.


The trail was beautiful as it climbed up and around in earnest to the backside of the lighthouse. We traversed back and forth through the trees. Towards the top we could see out into the Pacific Ocean and down to the waves hitting the shoreline. On the other side we came up behind the lighthouse and took the trail down to the visitor area. After looking around and taking pictures we headed back down again.


It's on strenuous hikes like this that we will stop for refreshments. The snacks I packed fit all the requirements. The fruit tasted like dessert. The granola bars were crunchy and packed with protein, carbohydrates and fat giving us the energy needed for the journey back to the car. Also, they were delicious. The great thing about granola bars is that they are so versatile. There is the base that you stay pretty true to but then you have the option to pick and choose your chose of nuts and fruits. As a bonus you can even throw in some chocolate pieces. Make these your own.

This recipe has been slightly adapted from Megan Gordon's; A Sweet Spoonful website who got the recipe from the folks at the coffee shop at the Fairmont Hotel in Lake Louise, Canada.

Ingredients:

3 cups rolls oats
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup walnuts (coarsely chopped)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup chopped cashews
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup dried milk powder
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons molasses


To prepare:

Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare large baking sheet. I used a 11" x 17" pan, lightly oil bottom and sides.

Put oil, molasses and honey in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, remove from heat.

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour hot liquid into dry ingredients and mix well. Add in chocolate pieces, if desired.

 Scoop mixture onto prepared sheet, press mixture into pan.

Bake for 13 to 17 minutes until brown around the edges and lightly browned on top.

Cool completely before slicing. Makes about 12 4 inch bars.










Comments

  1. I dearly love homemade granola bars and I need to get busy and make some more. I'm copying this recipe to add to my granola bar list!

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    1. Hi Susan, this is a good one, Megan Gordon is the master at granola making.

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  2. I forgot to mention what glorious views and lighthouse!! You have such a beautiful place to wander on your walks there.

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  3. Your hike looks like something I would really enjoy. The bars sound wonderful too!

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  4. What a beautiful place to go hiking. I love Oregon in the summer - it's so green and pretty. Your bars sound like they're very tasty xx

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  5. Oh wow, I have to make these! Have a super weekend :)

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  6. What a lovely hike. Been meaning to start a lighthouse board on Pinterest. They are such fun and some are so unusual.
    Nice granola bar recipe too, Cheri.

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    1. Hi Barbara, Lighthouses are the best we have 2 close to us, well about 25 miles in each direction and they are very nice. Thanks!

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  7. I've been meaning to try making my own granola bars. I love how you can make so many different varieties. Your recipe sounds so good!

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    1. Hi Leah, they were fairly easy to put together, I like the fact that you can add combinations of fruits and nuts that you enjoy.

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  8. What a fun day. That lighthouse has to be the prettiest one ever! Love your granola bars. I think all I need is cashews and I can make them. We'll be vacationing in the mountains later this month and these would be perfect! Pinning!

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    1. Hi Chris, theses would be perfect for traveling, have a nice trip!

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  9. Cheri, what a delight! Homemade granola bars. Sharing the lighthouse is wonderful. Love the trailing road.

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    1. Hi Linda, it is a great hike. Happy week-end to you!

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  10. Beautiful photos - and the granola bars look delicious.

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  11. I looks like you had another beautiful walk, Cheri! And I have been wanting to have a go at some baked granola bars, so thank you for this. I've been buying them lately, which is silly, really.

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    1. HI Helen, oh I buy them too, but had run out and kept telling myself I was going to make them, finally I did. Pretty easy-peasy.

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  12. The perfect snack for a day of hiking! It looks beautiful there in Florence! And really delicious looking granola bars. Thanks for sharing, Cheri.

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    1. Hi Sarah, great place to hike and the bars were just want we needed.

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  13. What a fun hike and what a gorgeous lighthouse that is. It was smart of you to bring snacks and treats to munch on along the way. Those granola bars sure looks amazing. Great recipe!

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    1. Hi Mike, we enjoy hiking and eating, so there you go. Happy week-end!

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  14. That looks like a beautiful hike. That view is amazing! Nothing like a good hike to stir up an appetite. I love these granola bars. Dark chocolate chips and cherries...yum!

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    1. Hi Cindy, it was a great hike and we did worked up a pretty big appetite.

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  15. I haven't made granola bars in awhile now - thanks for the delicious reminder. Mine sometimes fall apart - did you have that problem at all? Your hike looks so restorative. Even strenuous ones can be so restorative - I feel so good afterwards.

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    1. Hi Susan, yes I did the first time, this time I really pressed the mixture in before baking.

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  16. I have never made granola bars - or even granola, for that matter. Yet I eat them often at work. I need to make these and pretend I am at the Chateau Lake Louise - that would be a lovely dream while I am at my desk! ~ David

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    1. Hi David, yes it would, you have me smiling about that vision now.

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  17. Homemade granola bars are always awesome.. these granola bars look delicious.. Can't wait to try this!! :)

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  18. The scenery looks so good on your trail! :) The only hikes I've been on have had really boring views....which is part of the reason I don't particularly like hiking haha. I went hiking toward a lighthouse once, only to find that the 'lighthouse' was pretty much like a house, and not the pretty ones that you'd normally think of *sigh*. I've recently started making granola bars too, although the recipe I followed didn't have enough honey and oil to bind the ingredients together properly so I could make them into proper bars as most of it fell apart. Yours recipe looks great- I'll have to give it a try next time!

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    1. Hi Von, there are so many different recipes out there, these were crunchy, next time I want to try my hand at a bar that's more chewy just to see what kind I would like best.

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  19. Oh, wow, that view is stunning. I adore the PNW! And I'd love to have one of your granola bars...so full of all my favorites ingredients :)

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    1. Hi Liz, we do too, although the weather has been on the warm side this summer.

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  20. What beautiful scenery! Sounds like it was a lovely hike. These granola bars sound like they have serious staying power. Definitely perfect if you're engaging in such strenuous activity!

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  21. Delicious bars! Great for taking on a hike.

    This lighthouse is so pretty.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  22. Beautiful scenery and obviously perfect for taking a hike - granola bars are such a great food/snack to take along on those long hikes!

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  23. What a beautiful reward for a strenuous hike! I love lighthouses too :)
    These snacks would have been a welcome treat after a long walk indeed, and a welcome treat in my lunchbox soon too :)

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  24. Both your hike and granola bars sound fabulous!
    Have a super afternoon.
    :-) Mandy xo

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  25. Despite loving granola bars, I rarely make them because I never have a good excuse to eat them. They normalyl end up being dessert, and these look totally dessert worthy!

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  26. Perfect fuel for a strenuous hike! Your descriptions sound like something out of a novel - you really are a talented writer, and photographer and apparently a pretty great cook too!

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  27. I love lighthouses and granola bars:-)

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  28. i really love lighthouses. one day i will do the US trail of them. in the meantime we have the byron bay one only a couple of hours away and we get to do whale watching in winter at the same time.

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