Cherries & Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Ingredients

• canola oil cooking spray
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 Tbsp brown rice syrup (alternately, you could use the equivalent amount of honey, agave nectar, or pure maple syrup)
• 1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup puffed brown rice cereal
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened & unsulfured dried cherries
• 1/2 cup grain-sweetened chocolate chips