The snack machine

They say the best way to eat when you are pregnant is to have 5 or 6 (or 8 if it's twins) small meals a day, rather than your typical breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This way of eating helps to maintain even blood glucose levels, crucial in preventing gestational diabetes.
Eating frequent, small meals also helps to stave off nausea in the first trimester by preventing you from getting too full or too hungry: At nearly 11 weeks now, I am never hungry. If I start to get nauseous, I know it's time to eat. I have become a snacking machine.
The healthier the snack, the better I feel. I do crave milkshakes and pizza rolls, of course, but I usually don't feel as good afterwards as when I eat apple slices with peanut butter, or whole wheat crackers with low-fat cheese. When I get that insatiable sweet tooth, I try to have something that has some nutritional value, instead of just empty calories. These easy, no-bake cereal bars fit the bill. With whole grain, fruit, and protein packed peanut butter and nuts, I can occasionally indulge in a decadent treat without alarming my over-active nutrient conscience.

Peanut Butter Cereal Bars

3 cups organic or all-natural whole grain cereal (I used Mom's Best naturals honey nut toasty o's)
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts (or any nut you like)
1/2 cup dried fruit (I used dried blueberries)

Grease a 9x9 or 8x8 baking pan.
In a large pot, bring the honey and brown sugar to a boil. While stirring, allow to boil 1 minute.
Stir in the peanut butter until it is melted and evenly distributed. Remove from heat.
Add cereal, nuts and fruit and stir to coat.
Carefully (it's hot!) press mixture into the greased pan with a piece of waxed paper and allow to cool completely.
Run a knife around the edge of the pan and unmold onto a cutting board. Use a serrated knife to cut into squares.
Store in a tightly covered container, up to 3 days, or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, frozen for up to one month.