Nature Bars

I found this quick and easy recipe online one day. With time I made it my own.
The original recipe had nuts in it but since I wanted to be able to add them to my son's lunches for school, soccer and day camp I replaced them with cereal.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats ( I use Steel-cut Oats and I works just as well)
  
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup Rice Krispies Cereal ( or 1 cup chopped almonds- if you are not going to send it to school)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped dates ( or raisins)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, 3/4 cup honey, and lemon juice until well blended. Combine the flour, oats, and wheat germ; mix into the honey mixture. Spread evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13-inch baking pan. Put aside.
3. In another bowl, beat eggs while gradually pouring in 1/4 cup honey. Stir in cereal, chocolate chips, dates, apricots, coconut, and sesame seeds until they are evenly distributed and well coated. Spread over the crust in the pan.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until center is set, and the top is lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Servings: approx: 24

ENJOY!