Carrot cake granola bars

I can’t eat carrot cake without thinking of Grandpa Phil. Technically, he was Step-Grandpa Phil, but I liked him and (Step-) Grandma “Norky” enough that I had no qualms about acquiring them as another set of grandparents. While Grandma Norky was “like butter,” Grandpa Phil was a little rough at the edges. I saw just how rough over a few pieces of carrot cake that I discarded–after licking the cream cheese icing off the top, of course. The bite size pieces, served in muffin tins, were on their third day. Stale carrot cake with big chunks of walnuts in it? Ew. But that icing–it’s good for days. Grandpa Phil walked right up and made me take it out of the garbage and demanded that I eat. With no one in sight to come to my rescue, I sized him up and decided I wasn’t going to win this battle. Double Ew.

These carrot cake granola bars don’t feature any giant walnuts and do feature yummy icing.

CARROT CAKE GRANOLA BARS
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1t baking powder
1/2t cinnamon
1/2t nutmeg
pinch of salt
1t vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup almond butter
3/4 cup shredded carrots

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and bake for 25 minutes at 350. Let cool.

Cream Cheese Icing
1/2 package of cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2t vanilla
1T Earth Balance or coconut oil

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and spread over granola bars once they’ve cooled. Store in the fridge. Unless, of course, you devour them immediately.