Peanut butter & vanilla protein cereal bars

You will need

4 cups of honey and Oats cereal (Post or Publix brand)
2 scoops of vanilla protein powder (chocolate can work too)
2/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
1 ½ tablespoons of honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ low fat peanut butter
Aluminum foil
1 sheet of wax paper (foil or plastic wrap can work also)
Cooking spray
Anywhere from an 8inch-12 inch pan (I used an 11x7 for these) bars can be made into different shapes and thickness so any of these sized pans can work


In a large mixing bowl add 4 cups of cereal and protein powder

Line baking pan with foil and coat foil with cooking spray

In small-medium non stick sauce pan add brown sugar (first), corn syrup (add in this order to help coat the measuring cup with syrup and will help release the next ingredient which is the peanut butter from the measuring cup) next add peanut butter, vanilla, honey and heat to a full boil stirring constantly. Have bowl of cereal close by to transfer immediately.

After the mixture has come to a boil and all the ingredients are incorporated pour hot mixture over cereal and protein powder and begin to stir quickly as the liquid will become sticky very fast making it hard to stir mixture. Make sure to incorporate ingredients well, some protein powder will be at the bottom of the bowl so be sure to get that in the mix.

Transfer well mixed ingredients to foil lined pan and begin to spread it out as even as you can with spoon. Once mixture is in the pan take the wax paper and place it on top of cereal mix and begin to press down evenly getting an even level in corners and center of pan. Press firmly.
Place in refrigerator for 1 hour.

After 1 hour remove bars and peel wax paper of. If you want a smooth top to your bars then just flip the bars making the bottom of the pan, the top. Slice into squares or triangles and serve.