Nut & Fruit Granola Bars, CSN Preview Filed under ( Breakfast, Dessert )

Wednesday! The week has been extra nice due to the temperatures and sunshine in Charleston! I hope it sticks around forever. I have been messing around with my granola/treat bar recipe (based originally on Tina's Oatmeal Raisin Bars) lately and came up with a creation I am really enjoying. I used a few new add ins including dried cherries and Quaker Puffed Rice cereal:


The outcome is nice and chewy. For a more crunchy bar, replace the applesauce with vegetable oil.


Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups dry oats
3/4 cup puffed rice cereal
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
2 eggs or ½ cup egg substitute (or equivalent- check your egg substitute container)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup dried cherries (or other dried fruit)
½ cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together oats, cereal, flours, sugar, cinnamon, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, cherries and chocolate chips. Add in apple sauce (or oil) and eggs (or egg substitute), mix until well combined. Spray a 2.5 qt baking dish with pam. Spread mixture into bottom- bake for ~ 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

I'm feeling a little nosey this week- where do you see yourself in 5 years? What do you want to accomplish?

Keep an eye out for an exciting review I will be doing in the coming week on a product from the fabulous CSN stores. The CSN stores allow you to buy a range of products online including cookware, kids beds and even lighting products.

Edited to add: Check out this amazing crock pot giveaway!