Make your own energy bars to take along with you when backpacking.
Containing grains, nuts and fruit, energy bars are a versatile snack that can even function as a mini-meal, as they have the necessary protein, carbohydrates, fat and fiber to satisfy diverse nutritional requirements. Energy bars are great to bring along on outdoor adventures because they last long and pack easily. They also make an ideal pre-race energy boost for athletes. Energy bars are categorized as activity, endurance, meal replacement, protein or organic, depending on their ingredients and nutritional profile.
Instructions
1. Coat a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan with .
2. Combine peanuts, sunflower seeds, raisins (or cranberries), cherries, oats and rice cereal in a large bowl.
3. Combine peanut butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a microwave safe bowl. Place bowl in microwave and cook on high for 1 to 2 minutes or is bubbling. Add vanilla. Stir until blended.
4. Pour the peanut butter mixture from Step 3 over the dry ingredients from Step 2. Stir until mixture is well-coated.
5. Transfer mixture to the baking pan. Coat your fingers with cooking spray and press firmly down on the mixture. Let stand for approximately 1 hour until the mixture hardens. Cut into 16 bars.
6. Wrap bars individually in plastic wrap.
Tags: until mixture, cooking spray, energy bars, from Step, peanut butter