Recession-proof recipes: Homemade energy bar

Oil dropped to under $130 a barrel for the first time in several weeks yesterday. A reason to celebrate? Um ... not really. Gas prices continue to rocket toward the $5 a gallon mark, and the cost of food seems higher with each trip to the grocery store.

To help stay afloat in this economic maelstrom, little changes to our spending habits can sometimes make a big difference. This may mean less nights spent dining out and more nights spent cooking at home. It may also require a little ingenuity in the kitchen, allowing you to make your own less-expensive versions of some higher-priced and healthy grocery items. This homemade energy bar recipe -- sourced from Men's Athletic Quarterly -- is proof of just how easy making this switch can be.In a bowl put:

• 1 pound Quaker Oats
• 1 cup of dry cranberries or raisins
• 18 oz fresh/natural applesauce (sugar-free)
• 3 diced bananas
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup raw walnuts (or another nut if preferred)

Combine mixture and pour into non-stick tray, spread and bake for one hour at 350 degrees. After you take it out of the oven, brush it with honey or maple syrup and then let it sit for a while. Then, cut it into two-inch squares. Leave it out overnight and it will be ready to eat in the morning.