No-Bake Fruit and Cereal Bars

Makes: About 1 dozen

Time: About 15 minutes

F M O

This snack bar is so simple that you can almost put it together in the time it takes to buy a junky version at the store. Between the fruit and cereal, there’s a lot of room for variation. Keep it relatively light with puffed rice or shredded wheat; bulk it up with granola or whole grain flakes. Dried dates, figs, and apricots are particularly nice.

• 2 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
• 1½ cups dried fruit
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• Fruit juice or water as needed
• 3 cups The Best Granola (page 421) or high-quality ready-to-eat cereal

1. Lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan. Put the dried fruit, oil, and honey in a food processor and pulse until sticky; if necessary, add juice or water 1 tablespoon at a time to break up the fruit. In a large bowl, fold the fruit mixture into the cereal until the cereal is well coated.
2. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan and chill in the fridge until set. Cut into squares or rectangles. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.