Trail Mix Granola Bars

I really feel myself feeling like an elderly woman when it comes to food a lot of the time recently. I fondle every single avacado and peach before even considering putting them in my cart. I  balk at the price of cheese and cherries, why is everything so expensive?? Now I am finding myself washing out plastic baggies and sniffing things that really, truly do not look edible anymore considering eating them because, what's the worst that could happen? Once I found an entire drawer full of those styrofoam trays they package meat on at my grandparents house. I threw them all away without questioning this practice, remembering all the Christmas cookies I'd eaten off those trays my entire life that were festering with years old chicken blood with horror. I won't hopefully get that frugal, but I am trying to save some change on food by turning every last morsel in my fridge and pantry into something before it gets bad. Several years of working in a store where I got random organic produce for free honed this skill. Sweet potato, prickly pear cactus, blueberries and a pumpkin = stir-fry when you're trying not to waste free delicious randomness. I apply this same principle to my fridge, and that's how I came up with this trail mix granola bar recipe once after my boyfriend and I got back from a camping trip with a ton of extra, and they're really good. A good way to scrape some odds and ends into a bowl and use them up in a delicious fashion!

Trail Mix Granola Bars

-1 box Crispy Brown Rice Cereal

- 1 cup oats

-1 cup brown rice syrup

-1/2 cup peanut butter

-1/3 cup honey

- 1 cup trail mix 

(I used one with almonds, chocolate, crasins, oats and sunflower seeds for this one)

Directions: In medium saucepan melt brown rice syrup, peanut butter and honey together until just combined. Mix dry ingredients together in bowl and toss wet in until incorporated. Spray a 9x13 inch pan and press mixture in. Place in fridge 3 hours to set. Store at room temperature up to 1 week or in freezer up to 3 months.

                                                   

                           These are really good, and a great way to use up random baking ingredients you have leftovers of, as you can toss anything in and it's good. Plus, they're easy homemade treats that you can pack for lunches or trips, just cut them into strips!