This carbohydrate-rich bar, full of nuts, seeds, fruit and oats, was adapted from Amy Harrison’s prize-winning submission in the Plains (Georgia) Peanut Festival recipe competition sponsored by The Peanut Institute. It includes a little protein, and is a great grab-and-go pre-workout snack on mornings when you don’t have time to digest a full meal.

Makes 16 bars

ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 1/4 hours

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1/2 cup dry roasted salted peanuts
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds or other chopped nuts
2 cups raisins or other chopped dried fruit
2 cups rolled or instant oats
2 cups toasted rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ (optional)
1/2 cup creamy or crunchy natural peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Coat an 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine peanuts, sunflower seeds (or other nuts), raisins (or other dried fruit), oats, rice cereal and wheat germ (if using) in a large bowl.
3. Combine peanut butter, brown sugar and corn syrup (or honey) in a large microwaveable bowl; microwave on High until bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vanilla and stir until blended. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until coated.
4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Press down firmly. (It helps to coat your fingers with cooking spray.) Let stand for about 1 hour to harden. Cut into bars.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 255 calories; 9 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 95 mg sodium; 242 mg potassium.
2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 carbohydrate (other), 1 1/2 fat

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Individually wrap in plastic and keep at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature.

These are really tasty - as good as any supermarket chewy style granola bars. And, they are a generous size. It is especially nice that they are virtually no-cook so very easy for kids to do.

Rusty, Dallas, TX

Corn syrup worked better than honey to stick these together. Also any kind of nuts or dried fruits can be substituted for the amounts listed here.

Friendly Cook, La Honda, CA

These are fabulous. I fixed the recipe exactly as written the first time around. The second time I added 1 cup of M&Ms in place of one of the cups of raisins--to appease my husband's sweet tooth. The bars are so easy to prepare. Little to no cooking involved, depending on how you view microwaving for 2 minutes. This recipe has definitely become a keeper. I eat half of a bar on the way to the gym in the mornings, enjoy sustained energy throughout my workout, and treat myself to the other half when I'm finished. What can I say: They're tasty and energizing.

Marcia Y, Ridge Spring, SC

I only had one cup of raisins so I halved the recipe. I'm not sure what happened, but they wouldn't stick together. I ended up dividing the results into 8 snack-sized bags and ate it like soft granola. I'm not at all disappointed that it didn't work as expected. I liked it anyway!

Deanne, Atlanta, GA

Though the bars taste very good, and aren't calorie-laden, they did not turn out as bars- they weren't formed, even after freezing and re-thawing. I used honey in the recipe, but not sure that made them so sloppy. I have to eat them with a spoon, so they're not as portable as I would like.

elizabeth listello, Grand Rapids, MI

Loved these!

caroline

These were tasty, but I wondered about using corn syrup, which isn't a good nutritious ingredient, was used in the recipe. I don't consider this eating well.

Barb, Denver, CO

These were a hit with everyone i shared them with. I am definately going to try a bunch of variations. I wonder if they didn't stick together for some people because they didn't bring the ingredients up to a boil?

jill, Seattle, WA

Way too sweet. Cut back on the brown sugar, and honey. Bind together with 2 egg whites and bake 15 minutes until bars are set. Cool, refrigerate.

Beverly B., Potomac, Ma

These are tasty (a little too sweet, tho) but they aren't holding together. What did I do wrong? I used honey not corn syrup.

fleur, KY

Both Honey and Corn Syrup keep crystals from forming during the cooking process, and keep the bar from becomming grainy. Hoever, Honey is hygroscopic, which means it draws moisture from the air. This keeps the product nice and moist. A very desirable characteristic in a cake, but unfortunate for a bar. The mix will be too moist to maintain its structure.

Gil, Stanardsville, VA

These taste VERY sweet. Mine barely stuck together (I used honey and brought it to a full boil); some crumbled when I tried to remove them from the pan. We've been using them as a topping for yogurt. Good base; next time I'd use less sugar and maybe add some pureed tofu or egg whites and then bake for a better set.

BLN

I've made these twice - once with 1/2 corn syrup and 1/2 honey and once using just honey. The corn syrup does hold the bars together better. I also added 1/4 C mini chocolate chips and substituted Kashi Go Lean for the cereal and the bars were wonderful.

Jay Stogner, Atlanta, GA

I make similar bars but use only brown rice syrup as the glue and sweetener. depending on your volume of ingredients you need to mix all the dry ingredients then mix in brown rice syrup-usually a cup or so, press in to a pan with parchment paper on the bottom to make it easier to remove. Bake at 300 for 30 minutes or until it bubbles. let cool and cut up. If you let it cool in the oven then it hardens for crisp bars.

Susan, Vicksburg, MS

I wonder if the difficulty with sticking together might not be as a result of the oat choice. I used 1 c quinoa flakes -- much closer to the size of quick oats -- in place of 1 c of the rolled oats and that version didn't work nearly as well as my others. Have made them several times. I also agree the honey doesn't work as well as the corn syrup.

Rusty, Dallas, TX

I made this receipe with my daughter and not only was it easy and fun for her especially requiring no cooking except the microwave we loved them. I added dried cranberries and they are great. Perfect thing for my children to grab before school or sports practice. They are better than any store boughten chewy granaola bars and better for you. With the corn syrup they stay together fine.

Lynn, Whitewater, WI

Is there any way to make this a higher protein bar? Thinking of serving it to a teenager for breakfast-to-go.

anita, Warrenton, VA

These are very good. I used honey and agree with others that they don't stick together well. I wrapped the bars individually and stored them in the freezer. I think they taste best frozen, and they stick together better.

Ariana, Santa Cruz, CA

The first time I made them they didn't stick. I had forgotten the brown sugar. The next two times they were just fine. I used honey and instant oats. My rolled oats are the "extra thick" kind and I was worried that would make them harder to stick together, and that the oats would taste a little too raw. I also put them in an 8X8 pan and cut into 16 pcs, so they are a twice as thick. Maybe that helps? I hit the bulk bins and am using a mix of nuts, including lots of almonds for their Omega 3, and mixed fruit including cranberries, blueberries & cherries. I also add some flax. I think you could add some protein powder without any problem. Huge hit at our house. The small amounts of sugar per bar don't bug me for the other nutrition included. But, I might try the egg white substitute next time.

erin r, Portland, OR

I tried again. Went out and bought Karo. Still didn't hold together. Any suggestions?

fleur, KY

My family loves these granola bars! We make them weekly and vary the ingredients. Sometimes we use almonds instead of peanuts. We use craisins and add M & Ms too.

CC, La Quinta, CA

Absolutely delicious!!! A great snack.

Rose F. Loud, Rockland, MA