Vanilla Bean Cherry Granola Bars Recipe - Quick, Healthy & Ready in 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup un-sweetened organic apple sauce
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1 whole vanilla bean
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup brown rice cereal
• 1/2 cup millet
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup flax seeds
• 1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Line an 88 inch baking dish with parchment paper, allowing it to hang off the side. Spray with cooking oil. Set aside.
3. Slice vanilla bean down the center and using a spoon scrape out the inside.
4. Place the scrapings in a medium bowl, discard bean.
5. Add apple sauce, agave nectar, and almond butter stirring well to combine. Set aside.
6. In a large bowl combine, oats, rice cereal, millet, almonds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, dried cherries, chocolate chips and salt.
7. Add reserved apple sauce mixture to oat mixture and stir to combine.
8. Pour mixture into reserved baking dish and press so it is even and flat.
9. Bake for 20 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
10. Lift sides of parchment paper to release from pan and place on a cooling rack for an additional 10 minutes.
11. On a cutting board cut into granola bars.
12. Can be stored in the freezer or fridge.