Easy, Tasty Energy Bars

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 9
• 3 cups puffed whole grain cereal (see directions)
• 1/2 cup nuts (see note below)
• 3/8 cup dried fruit
• 1/4 cup honey (or agave syrup)
• 1/4 cup rice syrup, brown rice is preferable
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (any nut butter will work)
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chip

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 2 coat 9-inch square metal baking pan with cooking spray, margarine or butter.
• 3 mix cereal, nuts and dried fruit in medium bowl. combine nut butter, agave & brown rice syrup in heavy small saucepan.
• 4 bring to boil, whisking constantly until mixture bubbles vigorously and thickens slightly, about 1 minute burns easily, even when stirred non-stop.
• 5 pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture in bowl; stir to blend. transfer mixture to prepared pan; press to compact.
• 6 bake until just golden around edges, about 8-10 minutes.
• 7 cool completely. cut into bars with a serrated knife. store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature.
• 8 note: i prefer when the puffed cereal is substituted with (trader) joe’s o’s and some raisin bran. in place of nuts and fruit, i used trader joe’s tempting trail mix and another variety, plus added dried tart cherries, coconut, and sesame seeds.
• 9 double the recipe and bake in a 9x13" pan for 12-15 minutes for a family of three or more. everyone will love these and you'll be making them all the time because they are better and far less expensive than any brand name version.