Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Directions for the bars:
Lightly grease an 8″ x 8″ baking pan or dish. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dried cranberries or other dried fruit and the granola. Set aside.

In a small sauce pot, combine agave or corn syrup, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until hot and bubbly. This process goes fairly quickly and the mixture will burn easily if not stirred.

Pour peanut butter mixture over the granola mixture. Stir well to combine.

Press mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Allow to cool completely, then cut into 12 bars. (I cut them once down the middle of the pan, then made 5 cuts across the pan.)

For storage: Wrap the bars individually in plastic wrap. They are best the first week, but will keep at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to a month.

Directions for the granola:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.

Mix oats, wheat germ, coconut, flax seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower kernels, nuts and cinnamon together in a large bowl.

In a medium size bowl mix together the brown sugar, honey, oil, and vanilla. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Pour the mixture into a 9″ x 13″ baking dish or pan. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow granola to cool in pan. After the granola has cooled, using a pancake turner, gently slide the turner beneath the granola to break it up. Store in a zip-style plastic bag or other container of your choice.