Homemade 10-minute Granola Bars

Ok, so if you're anything like me, you have fallen prey to the marketing of granola bar companies such as these:

Or these:

Or even these:

However, the amount of sugar and other junky stuff in them is amazing for something that's supposed to be a "health" food. The ones in stores are more of desserts than healthy food that will fill you up and sustain you without a sugar high.

So, the solution for me, is now.... 10 minute homemade granola bars. 

See? They even look just like the store-bought ones... dont be afraid of some of the 'hippie-ish' ingredients that go in them... nothing to be afraid of. :)

Dry Ingredients: 2 cups brown rice cereal, 2 cups rolled oats, 1/4 cup ground flax seed (can leave out or even sub with wheat germ), 1/2 cup cranberries (can use any dried fruit, and more or less of it depending on your tastes), 1 tsp of salt

Wet Ingredients: 1/2 cup honey, 2-3 tbsp agave nectar (can use lite maple syrup too if you'd like), 1/2  cup nut butter (peanut, almond, hazelnut, etc), 1 tbsp canola oil, 1/4 cup brown sugar, a little vanilla (maybe a tsp or 2), 1 tsp cinnamon. Let everything melt together over medium low heat and stir into dry ingredients. 

Once everything's mixed together, pour into a 9x13 pan and press down reeeeallly hard so that it all gets compacted (it will making cutting into bars easier!) Put in the fridge for 30 minutes to "set"... and then dive in. Cut into bars and wrap individually in plastic cling wrap. 

For storage you can keep them in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, or in the freezer for 2 months!

These are SO YUMMY and easy to make. I'm definitely never going back to store bought ones.