These bars contain healthy whole grains which provide slow burning complex carbs and lots of B vitamins. There is a huge difference between complex and simple carbs – the complex carbs (whole grains like oats and brown rice) are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and burn slowly, while simple carbs such as sugar or potato chips, rapidly flame and fizzle, leaving us tired and empty. Our bars are a great, low cost alternative to a four dollar protein bar when you are out and about. Cut and individually wrap each bar in waxed paper and keep in a plastic bag in the fridge.

This is not a recipe for early post ops as the nuts, seeds, and carbs (even though they are mostly healthy carbs) – are not for you until you hit the 6 month zone and even then should be accounted for in calorie and carb counts.

Cooking spray
½ cup Natures Hollow or Smuckers Sugar Free Apricot Preserves
½ cup natural creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup
¼ cup Nature Sweet - if you use Splenda as a substitution, add an additional ½ cup peanut butter to this recipe as otherwise it will be too dry
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups crisp puffed brown rice cereal
¼ cup toasted wheat germ
4 scoops Inspire Peanut Butter Cookie protein powder
½ cup chopped roasted peanuts
¼ cup chopped dried apricots
¼ cup chopped dried figs
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray line with waxed paper and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine preserves, peanut butter, and Nature Sweet. Stir well and cook until mixture just begins to bubble, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cinnamon.  

In a large bowl, toss together the oats, rice cereal, wheat germ, protein powder, peanuts, apricots, figs and salt. Pour the warm peanut butter mixture over the dry oatmeal mixture and stir gently with a spatula until well combined and coated. Transfer to baking dish, cover with waxed paper and press firmly into dish. I place a book on top of the paper and press down. Allow to cool in the refrigerator. Cut into 16 bars.

Nutrition analysis per serving: 16 bars
Calories: 204
Total fat: 9g
Carbohydrate: 18g (with Fiber 8g, Sugars 7g)
Protein: 16g