Energy Bars

With our quest to eat healthy, I have been trying to incorporate healthy snacks to keep our metabolism boosted through the day.  Gerry and I both work out every morning and most days I work out for two hours so by 10:00 a.m., I'm ready for a snack.  If I don't have a snack in the morning, I will definitely look for one in the afternoon.  Most times, I try to make it fresh fruit, or a combination of nuts and dried fruit, but sometimes it's nice to have something a little different.  Ellie Krieger's energy bars fill that little craving wonderfully.

Energy Bars
Makes 20 bars, each about 3 x 1 1/2 inches

cooking spray
1 cup oats, rolled, quick cooking
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, shelled, unsalted, raw
1/2 cup wheat germ, toasted
1/4 cup flour, whole-wheat pastry, or whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup apricots, dried
1/2 cup almonds, raw
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dates, pitted and whole, dried
1/2 cup milk, fat-free, powdered
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 9 x 13-inch pan baking pan with ooking spray.  Place all the ingredients, except the maple syrup and eggs, in a food processor and pulse entil everything is finel chopped.  add the syrup and eggs and pulse until the mixture is well combined.  It will resemble a coarse paste.

Transfer to the baking pan and spread evenly to cover the bottom.  Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes then cut into 20 bars.  Store in an airtight container for about 3 days or wrap individually and freeze.