Homemade Cranberry Pepita Pecan Cliff Bars

So, as many of you can tell from fb I've been on a energy bar recipe craze- I would make one, be kinda happy with it, and then make another.  And another.  And another.  (no kidding.  I made like 5 different recipes this week- I found that what I wanted I would just have to make happen.  So I did) And then this one..... this turned out amazing.  I roughly based it off another recipe I found on the internet and wasn't completely happy with- so feel free to swap out and add in other ingredients to your hearts content. :)

Homemade Cranberry Pepita Pecan Cliff Bars

1/2 cup raw pecans
1/4 cup toasted pecans
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup almond butter
1/2 cup maple sirup
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 cup pepitas


Line a 9x13 pan with parchment- making sure the parchment is overhanging the pan so you can later pull the bars out.  In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the raw and toasted pecans till chopped, put pecan peices aside and in the now empty food processor pulse the cranberries till in small pieces.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, microwave the almond butter, sirup, and honey for 1 minute.  Stir in the cinnamon and vanilla,  Then add the cereal, oats, flax meal, pepitas, pecans, and cranberries.  Stir till combined, then pour mixture into the pan.  Press very firmly into the pan, as hard as you can pack it.  Refrigerate for an hour, then pull the bars out of the pan with the parchment and cut into squares or rectangles of desired size, then press all over very firmly with the flat side of a metal spatula or something flat and sturdy before taking the bars apart.  Refrigerate or freeze bars till ready to use.