Fruit and cereal bars: a recipe

Fruit and cereal bars

Here we are, talking about breakfast again.

I have no problems with dinner. Lots of options there, lots of ways to keep it fresh and lively (thanks to this blog, I'm rarely repeating a meal).

But breakfast?

Lordy, I don't know how my dogs do it, eating the same damned thing, day after day after day.

As I've mentioned before, I like recipes that I can make in advance, are portable and last for days.

Enter the fruit and cereal bar.

Like everyone else, I OD'ed on Nutrigrain bars years ago, so trust me when I tell you this is not like that. These come from Mark Bittman's The Food Matters Cookbooks (which totally rocks, so go buy it right now); what is great about them is that they can be completely different for each person that makes them or each time you make them, based on what you have in your pantry.

Because they truly are just dried fruit and cereal -- with no cooking at all.

Dates, raisins and apricots? Sure. Prunes and cranberries? Why not. Granola or crispy cereal? You choose. Prefer bite-sized balls rather than bars? Want to shape them into little duckies or chickens? Go ahead, it matters not.

For the batch shown here, I used a combination of dates, prunes, apricots and cranberries for the fruit and some Kashi Go Lean Crisp cereal.

You could also top them with some finely ground nuts or coconut, if you like that sort of thing. I don't, but hey, I'm not you.

What combination will you choose? I'd like to know.

Fruit and Cereal Bars (from Mark Bittman's The Food Matters Cookbook)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dried fruit
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup cereal (the more substantial kind that won't fall apart when you stir it around)

Directions:
Place the fruit, honey and oil in a food processor. Process until smooth (you can add a little water if the fruit is too thick and not processing well). Put the fruit mixture in a large bowl and fold in the cereal. Place the mixture into an 8-inch baking pan and push it down, making sure it is compacted and pushed into all the corners. Chill for an hour or until firmly set.  Cut into 12 bars.

If you don't eat them all at once, store the bars in the refrigerator.

(This recipe is featured in the Snacktime Saturday link party at Crunchy Farm Baby)