Eat. Laugh. Run.: Breakfast on the Go

Well hello blog, crazy long time since we've been together! June definitely takes the cake as fastest month thus far (although I hate summer more and more every day, so the faster it goes by the better). Nonetheless, even though I made this recipe weeks ago, I'm still going to share it as it was both delicious and created for use duing my blogging hiatus.

Most of June for me was spent traveling. I've been traveling a lot the past couple of months, but June started off with a work trip and ended with a road trip through my favorite state, Colorado. I have loved Colorado since I was little and long before I even stepped foot there. Not only do I find it to be one of the most breathtakingly gorgeous states, but I love all of the wonderful outdoor activities that come along with it. TF and I road tripped through Colorado a few years back (my first time in the state) and since we both share not only a love of the state, but a desire to reside there one day, we were nothing short of ecstatic to be returning.

The only thing I don't like about traveling is that it's hard to stick with a consistently healthy eating routine. I definitely love a good cheat day, but since I was going to be gone from my routine in the District for 2 weeks, I was determined to find a way to infuse some healthy eating into my life on the road. Literally a few hours before my flight, I found this recipe for no-bake breakfast bars that I could cut up, individually wrap, and take along on my adventures and have for breakfast when my traditional oatmeal isn't an option. My only disappointment with this recipe was that the longer the bars were out of the refrigerator (a couple days) the more they began to lose their shape, resulting in more of a trail/granola mix. They still retained their wonderful flavor though and definitely did the trick!

No Bake Breakfast Bars

Ingredients

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup whole almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon flaxseeds
1 cup unsweetened whole-grain puffed cereal
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped golden raisins
1/4 cup peanut butter (can also be made with almond butter)
1/4 cup in the raw sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch-square pan with parchment paper
Spread oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the oats are lightly toasted and the nuts are fragrant, shaking the pan halfway through, about 10 minutes
Transfer to a large bowl. Add cereal and dried cranberries; toss to combine
Combine peanut butter, sugar, honey, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently, until the mixture bubbles lightly, 2 to 5 minutes
Immediately pour the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon or spatula until no dry spots remain
Transfer to the prepared pan. Press the mixture down firmly to make an even layer (wait until the mixture cools slightly if necessary). Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes; cut into 8 bars