Homemade Clif Bars

Source: original recipe comes from here but we’ve made some adjustments

1 1/4 cups crisp rice cereal
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal – this stuff is basically amazing)
1/4 cup finely chopped dried fruit (e.g., raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, etc … we even tried dried pineapple and it was delish)
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts or seeds (I hear pepitas (which are pumpkin seeds) are great, but we’ve never actually added nuts or seeds)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup brown rice syrup (that’s what the recipe calls for, but we just use the regular Western Family maple or “rich & buttery” syrup stuff that you put on pancakes)
1/2 cup nut butter (WF creamy PB works just great)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the rice cereal, oats, flaxseed meal, dried fruit, nuts and cinnamon in a large bowl. Combine the syrup and nut butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted and well-blended (alternatively microwave in small microwave-safe bowl 30-60 seconds until melted). Stir in vanilla until blended. Pour nut butter mixture over cereal mixture, stirring until coated. Press mixture firmly into an 8-inch square pan (sprayed with nonstick cooking spray) using a large square of wax paper (really tamp it down … Gregg even uses his handy-dandy French-style rolling pin from Ram Kitchen to really mash it in). Chill at least 30 minutes in fridge to help it set. Cut into 12 bars. Wrap bars tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

*Note, you can triple the recipe and it fits perfectly into a jelly roll pan. Cut it into 25 bars for about 200 calories per bar (he did the math).

Blanchard Note: Back when Gregg was training for LOTOJA (the bike race from Logan to Jackson Hole – you may have heard of it?) last year he did a lot of biking around the valley to train for such an adventure. A lot of biking results in a lot of calories burned, and he discovered this handy recipe for homemade clif bars (an energy bar that normally costs something close to $1.30 per bar) that are super tasty and a whole lot cheaper. Enjoy!