Recipe: Banana Nut Cheerios Energy Bars (with cranberries, almonds and sunflower seeds)

BANANA NUT CHEERIOS ENERGY BARS

FOR THE CEREAL MIXTURE:
4 cups Banana Nut Cheerios cereal
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 cup roasted unsalted sunflower nuts
FOR THE SYRUP MIXTURE:
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Spray 9-inch square pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, mix cereal, cranberries, almonds and sunflower nuts.

In 2-quart saucepan, heat corn syrup, brown sugar and peanut butter to boiling over medium-high heat stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat stir in vanilla.

Pour syrup mixture over cereal mixture toss to coat. Press firmly in pan. Cool completely about 30 minutes.

For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.

Makes 24 bars
Source: Cherrios