Fruit, Honey and Coconut Energy Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter (or experiment with almond butter, too)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sunflower seed
• 2/3 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries or raisins (or a combination)
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup shredded coconut
• 3 cups puffed brown rice cereal
• butter, to grease pan

Other optional ingredients

• chocolate or carob chips (optional)
• sliced almonds (other nuts are a little too oily for this) (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Grease an 8x8 pan with a little butter.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, honey and vanilla extract until well-combined.

3. 3

   Add the sunflower seeds, dried fruit, sesame seeds and coconut and combine thoroughly with the peanut butter mixture.

4. 4

   Gradually add the puffed brown rice cereal to this.

5. 5

   This is where a child comes in handy-- this step is gooey and messy and best mixed with your hands- and kids love stuff like that.

6. 6

   Firmly press the mixture into the prepared 8x8 pan; you'll need to wet your hands slightly, otherwise the mixture just sticks to them.

7. 7

   Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours, then cut and serve.

8. 8

   They're very rich!