PB Energy Bites

I’d like to share another cereal bar recipe with you.  This is one that’s been in my collection for as long as I can remember.  I have no idea where or when I got it and I’ve tweaked it here and there over the years.  Be aware that with the agave, brown sugar, and dried cranberries, there’s a lot of sugar.  If you eat too many, prepare for a crash later on!  This time I used natural oat cereal (instead of Multigrain Cheerios, which the original recipe calls for) to cut back a little on the sugar.  If anyone has any other suggestions for reducing the sugar – but not altering the taste too much – please let me know.

Although the recipe says to cut into 16 bars, I can’t say that I ever get 16 servings out of this.  My latest batch didn’t last the weekend!

PB Energy Bites
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups oat cereal (I used Cascadian Farms Purely O’s)

1 ½ cups plain granola (I used Back to Nature classic granola)

½ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup agave nectar

¾ cup natural creamy peanut butter (I made my own in my Vitamix)

Directions:

1. In medium bowl, combine cereal, granola, cranberries, and coconut; set aside.  Spray 8x8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

2. In small, microwave-safe bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Microwave on high for 45 seconds or until peanut butter is melted.  Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture and toss to coat.  Firmly press into prepared pan and cool completely, about an hour.  (The refrigerator will speed up this process if you can’t wait that long!)

Cut into 16 bars.

NOTES:

1.    The bars are rather crumbly and I think upping the peanut butter to 1 cup would help this.

2.    You can use any combination of dried fruits or try adding chocolate chips.