Peanut Butter Snack Bars

These are Mike's favorite bars--a combination of energy bars, granola bars, and cereal bars. These can be adapted to your taste with fruits, nuts, seeds, chocolate, etc. Also, depending on your selection of ingredients, you can go 100% natural/organic.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 172 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups rolled oats
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup honey
• 1 cup crispy rice cereal
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup wheat germ
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar
• ¼ cup flax seeds
• 1 cup cornflake crumbs
• parchment paper
• ¾ cup chopped dark chocolate
• ¾ cup chopped smoke-flavored almonds

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Spread chocolate evenly over prepared baking dish.

Step 2

Toast oats, wheat germ, and flax seed in a non-stick skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until oats are lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer oat mixture to a large bowl and stir in crispy rice cereal, cornflake crumbs, almonds, and salt.

Step 3

Heat honey, peanut butter, brown sugar, agave nectar, canola oil, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until mixture begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture; gently stir until well mixed.

Step 4

Spread peanut butter-cereal mixture into the baking dish. Place another sheet of parchment over the mixture and firmly press into the dish until even. Allow to completely cool before removing from baking dish and slicing.