OMG Christine, Joan, & Linda... you guys DO exist! I am in shock as much as when the M&Ms saw Santa! LOL Annie, I'd never heard of Better than Peanut Butter until you mentioned it. I did a search, it's something like PB2, the lower in fat and calories stuff. Since I don't like PB2, I probably won't like that stuff either. To be fair, I LOVE peanut butter but I don't like anything "peanut butter-flavored" because they're not peanut butter, including peanut butter cookies and Reese! Sorry Kate, didn't meant to hijack your thread. :0) Back to the granola bar topic... I do use peanut butter as "glue" in my energy bars but you don't taste peanut butter at all. I use protein powder and cocoa powder so my energy bars taste more like chewy chocolate granola bars :-) Yummo! Al

Here is another from my To Try file. I guess that means I should try it, huh? LOL Strawberry Rhubarb Bars 1-1/2 c quick oats 1 c flour 3/4 granulated sugar 3/4 c butter 1-1/2 c rhubarb, chopped 1/3 c granulated sugar 1/4 c water 1/2 tsp ground ginger 2 c chopped fresh strawberries 1 recipe Ginger Icing (follows) Preheat oven to 350F. Line 8x8 baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Coat foil with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl, stir together oats, flour and 3/4 c sugar. Using pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove 1/2 c of mixture and set aside. Press remaining mixture in the bottom of prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes. In a medium saucepan combine rhubarb, 1/3 c sugar, water and ginger. Cook and stir for 8-10 minutes until filling is thick and bubbly. Stir in chopped strawberries. Remove 1/2 c filling, cover and set aside. Carefully spoon remaining filling over hot baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture, pressing lightly into rhubarb filling. Bake 30-35 minutes more or until top is golden and filling is bubbly. Cool in pan on wire rack. Lift from pan using foil and carefully pull foil away from sides. Cut into bars. Top each with a spoonful of reserved filling. Drizzle with Ginger Icing just before serving. (Makes 16 bars) Ginger Icing 1/4 c powdered sugar 1/4 tsp ground ginger 3-4 tsp orange juice In small bowl stir togethe powdered sugar, ginger and just enough orange juice to make of drizzling consistency. (Makes 1/4 c icing) These next two don't meet all of your healthy ingredient requirements but they are T & T and darn good! Raspberry Cream Cheese Bars source:Land O Lakes Baking Recipe Collection Crust: 1/2 c butter, softened 1/3 c sugar 1-1/2 c flour Topping: 3 8oz packages cream cheese, softened 3/4 c sugar 2T cornstarch 3 eggs 3/4 tsp almond extract 1 c fresh or frozen raspberries 1/4 s cliced almonds Preheat oven to 35oF. Combine butter and 1/3 c sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed scraping bowl often until creamy. Reduce speed to low and add flour. Beat until well mixed. Press mixture onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9 pan. Bake 12-16 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, 3/4 c sugar and cornstarch in large bowl. Beat at medium speed scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs and almond extract, continue beating until well mixed. Sprinkle raspberries over partially baked crust. Pour cream cheese mixture over the berries, sprinkle with almonds. Bake 20-25 minutes or until set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely (ast least 1 hour). Refrigerate bars at least 2 hours before cutting. **If using frozen raspberries, completely thaw and drain on paper towels before using. Danish Apple Bars 2-1/ c flour 1 tsp salt 1 c shortening 1 egg , separated Milk 1 c corn flakes 4 large cooking apples, peeled & sliced 1c sugar 1 tsp cinnamon Blend thoroughly the four, salt and shortening. Combine egg yolk with enough milk to make 2/3 cup of liquid. Add egg/milk to flour mixture. Mix until ingredients are just moistened. Divide dough in half, roll out one dough portion to 12x17 and place on jelly roll pan. Sprinkle with corn flakes, top with apples. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over apples. Roll out remaining dough to 12 x 17 and place on top of papples. Beat egg white until stiff, brush over top of dough. Bake 1 hour at 400F Glaze: 1 c powdered sugar 1 T water ½ tsp vanilla Mix thoroughly and drizzle over cooled bars. Cut into squares and serve. Linda

My daughter would make the following bars and send them to me in care packages while I was riding my bicycle across the US. Such a sweetie!!! Lori's granola bars I heard there were a few requests for my granola bar recipe that I've been using when sending my mom supplies. Here it is. The "*"'s are recent additions to the original recipe. Granola Bars 2 c golden grahams cereal or other non sugar-based cereal (meaning no fruit loops) 4 graham crackers 2 c oatmeal (I do not use the quick oats) 1 c raisins 1/2 c honey 1/4 c light corn syrup 1 c peanut butter In a medium bowl, crumble cereal into tiny and small pieces. Add graham crackers... crumble more. Add oatmeal and raisins... mix. In a separate bowl mix honey, corn syrup, and peanut butter. Add this to the dry mixture. This will be difficult to mix, but adding more liquid will make them sticky, and too gooey. **If you happen to have a Kitchen Aid mixer, I've found mine works well for this. I don't even pre-mix the gooey ingredients anymore. I have a mini loaf pan that has 8 small slots. I've used this, also a mini muffin pan, I've also simply hand formed the mixture into several granola bars. Putting it all into one dish works too, but it does not cut well after cooking. Advice is to find a way to make separate bars. Form and pack them well, so they don't fall apart while eating. **I also now hand pack individual bars and place on a stoneware pizza pan covered in aluminum foil, and the bottoms no longer get too brown this way. Place into a preheated oven of 250 degrees for 15 minutes. Once done, let cool, and store in an airtight container. ** Note there is no actual granola in the original recipe. I have since found granola at health stores, and substitute granola for some of the cereal... about 1 cup. If you've added to much dry ingredients simply add more liquid stuff so you can get them to hold together. Vice versa if it's too sticky. ** You can also substitute dried apples or other such fruit for the raisins. I've also made them with mini chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. happy eating, -Lori

this is a recipe that I got here; I believe from Lori Jean, and it's my go-to granola recipe. Vanilla-Scented Granola Nonstick vegetable oil spray 2 cups old-fashioned oats 1 cup sliced almonds 1/4 cup golden brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup dried apricots, raisins and coconut 1/2 cup dried cranberries Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Lightly spray large baking sheet with nonstick spray. Mix the oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl. Combine oil, honey, and sugar in small saucepan; bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour hot liquid over oat mixture; stir well. Using hands, toss mixture until thoroughly mixed. Spread granola on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Transfer sheet to rack; cool granola completely. Mix in dried fruit and store in airtight container at room temperature.