Hope everyone had a great Halloween! Thought I’d share this healthy recipe to help combat some of the Halloween sugar-highs. Enjoy all the candy but save it for right after your workouts and use these bars to snack on throughout the day!
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ c. nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower butter are my favorites)
- ¾ c. maple syrup (be picky with your brand here – probably NOT the kind you put on your pancakes. Look for 100% pure maple syrup, and make sure there’s absolutely no high fructose corn syrup in the ingredients list)
- 2 ½ c. rolled oats
- ½ c. flax meal
- ¼ c. sunflower seeds
- ¼ c. pumpkin seeds
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ c. raisins, cranberries, or goji berries (optional, sometimes I do them with, sometimes without)
- Heaping ½ c. dark chocolate chips or chopped 85% dark chocolate (optional)
Directions:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix all the ingredients until well combined, just under 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and briefly mix again
- Line a 9×9 or 9×13-inch baking pan (depending on how thick you want them) with parchment paper. Transfer the mixture to the pan. Spread and press it smoothly with a spatula to fill the corners.
- Chill to set, about 1 hour. With the aid of the parchment paper, lift out the contents of the pan. Cut into 12-16 bars. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1-week.
You don’t have to wrap them, but I always choose to because then all I have to do is open the fridge, grab and bar, stick it in my bag, and head out the door! They’re great for an on-the-go snack or for a quick breakfast.
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