"Starbucks" Chewy Fruit and Nut Energy Bars

                                               

"Starbucks" Chewy Fruit and 

Nut Energy Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups crispy rice cereal (see note below)
1 cup dried apricot, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup pecan halves, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisin
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Syrup Mixture
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup or 1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter or almond butter

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Directions:

Ingredient note: look in your health food aisle for a healthy alternative to Rice Krispies. The brand I found is made by Enviro-Kidz and uses BROWN rice.

1. 
   Prepare 9x13 pan with non-stick spray (or line with parchment paper).
   
   In a large mixing bowl, toss all dry ingredients. Feel free to substitute your preferred nut or dried fruit.
   
   In a saucepan, combine brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and allow to boil one minute. (Note: boiling the sugars is what helps the bars become firm and not sticky, so this step is important).
   
   After boiling, turn off heat; add vanilla and peanut butter. QUICKLY pour this hot mixture over the dry ingredients and toss to combine.
   
   Pour warm mixture into prepared pan. Wet your fingers and press the mixture down into the pan to compress the bars so they will slice evenly.
   
   When cool, use a sharp knife to cut into 18 bars (1 long lengthwise cut and 9 cuts across). Enjoy with a hot cup of Starbucks coffee for an authentic experience!
   
   Note: Starbucks does not list corn syrup in their ingredients, but the sweetener in their list is not readily available. I tried using Maple Syrup, but the bars were very crumbly and would not stay together in bars. Therefore, I found that Corn Syrup is the best ingredient that is readily available.