Power Bars

These little goodies are my favorite go to snack.  I usually have a small bar every day around 11, and I'm good to go until lunch. One batch of these last the husband and me two weeks.  Obviously, peanut butter and all things nuts (and Nutella) are a part of my everyday diet.  These are a (semi) guilt free pleasure.  The other day, just for fun, I spread a bit of Nutella on a bar.  That may have been a bad idea.  Boy was it good.  I'm not so sure that still counts as guilt free pleasure.  Nutella is healthy, right?  Recently, I started making homemade greek frozen yogurt with Nutella....ok, enough about the Nutella and onto the recipe (Nutella frozen yogurt to come later).

What you need:

1/2 cup of different raw nuts (sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, flax seeds)
6 pitted dates
1/2-3/4 cup of raisins (or any dried fruit)
3 tablespoons dark chocolate morsels
3/4 cup all natural peanut or almond butter (no sugar added)
3/4 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup oats (certified gluten free)
2 1/2 cups brown rice cereal
Nutella (optional)

Combine the nuts, dates, raisins, and dark chocolate in a food processor and pulse several times until coarsely ground. Set to the side.

Over low to medium heat, combine the peanut butter and agave nectar.  Allow the mixture to combine, but don't allow it to burn.  Add the vanilla and stir. Add the nut mixture and combine. Then, gradually add the oats and cereal and mix until combined.

Spread the mixture onto a cookie sheet.  Put wax paper over the top and use a rolling pin to mold the mixture together tightly.  Place in the fridge and allow to cool before cutting.