Power Bars (faux Clif)

Breakfast is one of the meals that I am not interested in spending a lot of time thinking about. However, it is super important for me to eat in the morning or my day starts off sluggish, with a coffee buzz that makes me jittery and a little scattered. Adam is a grab and go breakfast kind of dude. He prefers Clif Bars. Which, I agree, are delicious. But for both of us to have one every day, we would be looking at about $60 a month in Clif Bars... which is not exactly in the budget. I heard that the dude who started Clif Bars began making them in his mom's kitchen. I thought, well, if he can make Clif Bars in his kitchen, I should be able to as well. 
After lots of trial and error, I came up with this recipe for the perfect anytime-power bar that is both gluten free and sugar free. Excellent in the morning, before a workout, or as a little energy pick-me up mid day. Enjoy!

Power Bars

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 3/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup natural creamy or crunchy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or agave syrup
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups rolled oats (Gluten Free)
• 2 cups crisp puffed brown rice cereal
• ¼ cup ground flax seed (grind in coffee grinder)
• ½ cup chopped dried apricots
• ½ cup chopped dried figs or prunes
• (optional- can add any other dried fruit, chopped nuts, or chocolate chips)
• ½ tsp. kosher salt

(I usually buy the dried fruit in bulk at Costco. My all time favorite peanut butter is Adams)
 

Directions

1. spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside
2. In a small saucepan (or, microwave safe dish) combine honey, peanut butter, maple syrup and cinnamon. Stir and cook on stove top until the mixture just begins to bubble, 3-5 minutes. OR microwave for 1 minute, remove from microwave and stir. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
3. In a  large bowl, combine oats, rice cereal, ground flax seed, apricots, figs/prunes, and any other additions you are using.

1. 4. Pour peanut butter honey mixture over oatmeal mixture and stir gently with a rubber spatula until well combined. The mixture should stick together pretty well. If it is too gooey, add oats. If it is not sticking together or seems dry, add equal parts of peanut butter and honey (warmed and mixed together as in step 2.) Better to be on the sticky side than the crumbly side

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1. 5. Transfer to baking dish, cover with parchment paper and press firmly into dish. Allow to cool completely in the refrigerator (2 hours) and then cut into squares.

I like to cut them and then wrap them in plastic wrap, so that they are 'on the go' ready.