Peanut Butter Go GO Bars

cooking oil spray
1 cup regular rolled oats
1/3 cup oat bran
3 Tbsp flax seed
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp each, baking powder & salt
1/2 cup chopped roasted salted peanuts
12 dried cranberries
1/2 cup finely chopped dried mission figs
3/4 cup natural chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup low-fat milk
1 large egg
finely shredded zest from 1 lemon
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. Line a 9 x 13″ pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on the 9″ sides, and coat with cooking oil spray.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together oats, oat bran, flax seeds, flour, baking powder, salt , peanuts, cranberries, and figs until well blended.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together peanut butter, milk, egg, honey, lemon zest, and lemon juice until well blended.
3. Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture and beat until completely blended.  Scrape dough into pan and with wet fingers or a rubber spatula, pat to fill pan completely and evely (dough is sticky, so you may need to wash your hands a few times).  Chill dough until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Invert pan onto a work surface, lift off pan, and peel off plastic.  Using a bench scraper or knife, cut straight down lengthwise through middle, then crosswise to make 16  bars, each 1 1/2″ wide.  Place bars about 1″ apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
5. Bake bars until lightly browned and somewhat firm to touch, about 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.
original recipe appeared in a sunset magazine 2008

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anna nutall