The Road to Healthy: Magic Amy Bars

I'm not sure what else to call these bars...These God-like, peanut buttery creations my mom made for me a month ago triggered intense cravings and strange mouth-watering sensations that I get from simply thinking about them. They are magical.

The master chef Amy (on the left, clearly) and I at a Buddhist temple in Cambodia

(Christmas Break trip of a lifetime)

Unfortunately, they are also not as healthy as I'd like to trick myself into believing. At first I tried to get over my guilt of eating half the pan by reasoning with myself, "They're just oats and peanuts, they even have FRUIT in them!" Correction: They are also made with Hershey's chocolate chunks, a peanut butter high in sodium/sugar, and, to be honest, dried fruit just isn't as healthy as its fresh equivalent.

Fortunately, I have managed to tweak the recipe a bit so that, not only are they still tasty, but they aren't as waistline-damaging as the first batch. However, if you don't mind indulging a bit (when is indulging in moderation a bad thing??), I'd say go for and make the recipe with chocolate and the regular peanut butter!

Kim's Take On Magic Amy Bars:
1 1/2 cup Quaker Oats
A handful/or two of dried fruit, your choice (I still use blueberries and cherries, they're delicious and small)
Honey (I just drizzle back and forth a couple of times)
Several shakes of Cinnamon
2 Heaping Tablespoons of Unsalted Peanut Butter (I bought mine from Trader Joe's)
1/2 frozen banana (Diced)
1 small splash of Vanilla

1) Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl
2) Pack mixture into a square 8" by 8" metal/glass pan
3) Drizzle honey on top of packed mixture
4) Refrigerate for minimum 2 hours
5) Cut into bars and ENJOY!

***If you want to make the original Magic Amy Bars, substitute Unsalted Peanut Butter for Reduced Fat JIF, sprinkle in 1 (diced) milk chocolate Hershey's bar, and whatever else YOU want to add (you're putting in chocolate; you've already gone wild, why stop there?)