Recipe: Kashi and Other Breakfast Bars

KASHI FRIENDLY RASPBERRY COCOA BARS
Source: Kashi / Walmart
Servings: 25

3 cups Kashi Good Friends cereal
1/4 cups dried raspberries, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup raw (turbinado) sugar
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder or carob powder

In a large bowl mix KASHI GOOD FRIENDS cereal and raspberries together. Set aside.

Combine butter, honey, raw sugar and cocoa in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave for one minute, stir, and continue heating for two minutes. Pour liquid over KASHI GOOD FRIENDS cereal and raspberries. Stir until coated.

Press firmly into an 8x8 greased pan. Cool in refrigerator.

---

PAMPERED CHEF BREAKFAST BARS

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup shaved coconut
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 ounce unsalted butter, more to grease pan
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
6 1/2 ounces chopped dried fruit (we used dried cranberries, black currants, and chopped apricots)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish, and set aside. Spread the first 6 ingredients on a baking sheet, and toast in oven, stirring 3 to 4 times, until just barely browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. A few minutes before toasting is complete, place the honey, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat (you ll need enough room to add the dry ingredients later), and heat, stirring, until butter is melted and sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce heat to low, and add the toasted dry ingredients, plus the fruit, tossing until everything is well-coated.

3. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish, pushing everything down until well-packed. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Remove, allow to cool completely, then cut into squares with a sharp knife. Make sure you cut all the way through so the bars don t crumble when you try to remove them.

---

GRANOLA BARS
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2005
Show: Good Eats, Episode: Power Trip

8 ounces old-fashioned rolled oats, approximately 2 cups
1 1/2 ounces raw sunflower seeds, approximately 1/2 cup
3 ounces sliced almonds, approximately 1 cup
1 1/2 ounces wheat germ, approximately 1/2 cup
6 ounces honey, approximately 1/2 cup
1 3/4 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup packed
1-ounce unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 1/2 ounces chopped dried fruit, any combination of apricots, cherries or blueberries

Butter a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, and wheat germ onto a half-sheet pan. Place in the oven and toast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, extract and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until the brown sugar has completely dissolved.

Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Immediately add the oat mixture to the liquid mixture, add the dried fruit, and stir to combine. Turn mixture out into the prepared baking dish and press down, evenly distributing the mixture in the dish and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container for up