Puffed Cereal Bars

Have you ever looked at the ingredients listed in the boxed granola bars? Even the healthy ones? It seems like it should be much simpler than what's listed. I just want ingredients I can pronounce. I've been playing around with some recipes to try to find something that would cure the snacky/sweet craving that the healthy granola bars cure.

This recipe is completely adaptable and forgivable. You can truly make this your own concoction. When I made this recipe, I used almond butter, honey, puffed millet, oat bran flakes, wheat germ, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds. The bars received two thumbs up from everyone here at the station... and it only took around 5 minutes to put these together! Winner!

Puffed Cereal Bars

recipe adapted from here

Combine the following in a large bowl:
1 1/4 cup puffed cereal (rice, wheat, millet, kamut, etc)
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
2 Tablespoons quinoa flakes (or wheat bran flakes, oat bran flakes) - optional
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed (or wheat germ) - optional
1/3 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, cherries, blueberries, etc)
1/4 cup cup chopped nuts or seeds (pecans, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, sunflower seeds, etc)


Combine the following ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until melted and the edges begin to bubble:
1/3 cup liquid sweetener (honey, agave, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, etc)
1/2 cup nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, soy butter, hazelnut butter, etc)

Pour liquid mixture of dry mixture and stir until completely coated. Press mixture firmly into a greased 8 inch square pan. Cool in pan and then chill for 30 minutes so bars can set. Cut into 16 bars, wrap bars in plastic wrap, and store in refrigerator... if they last that long!